As it turned out, Billy White III didn’t just show up to announce his college commitment on Thursday. The Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial 6-foot-8 four-star small forward actually had a pair of surprises for the cameras.
Before announcing his commitment to SMU, White III dropped the first bombshell: his intention to reclassify from the 2026 to the 2025 class, thus ending his high school career immediately. He will head directly to SMU and get started a year earlier than most had anticipated.
A Father’s Love
The son of Veterans Memorial head coach Billy White Jr., White III said his decision was made from a desire to challenge himself on the court. Of course, he would have loved to chase a state title with his dad one more time after helping lead the Eagles to a 39-1 record and a trip to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.
But development at this point in his career is vital. SMU will now help control the ascension to what he hopes is a long and prosperous career on the court. As a junior, White III nearly averaged a double-double in 39 games, pouring in 18.8 points and pulling down 9.4 rebounds while also dishing 2.7 assists and chipping in 1.8 blocks.
Highly recruited, he held at least 25 Division I offers from schools including Texas, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, California, Maryland, and Illinois, among others…