AUSTIN, Texas — Tristan Thompson (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Rick Barnes announced Wednesday. Thompson will join the Longhorns for the 2010-11 season.

"Tristan is a big, athletic forward who can really rebound the basketball and run the floor well," Barnes said. "He comes from an excellent Grass Roots Canada AAU program coached by Ro Russell and has had the opportunity to play for his Canadian National Team as well. We know he’ll also continue to grow and develop this year while at Findlay Prep, both as a person and on the basketball court."

Thompson (6-9, 240), a forward from Findlay College Prep (Henderson, Nev.) who plays under coach Michael Peck, is ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the nation by Scout.com, No. 11 by ESPNU and No. 17 by Rivals.com. Thompson played in just five games for Findlay last year after transferring in February from St. Benedict’s Prep Academy in New Jersey.

During those five games, Thompson averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while playing alongside current UT freshman Avery Bradley. The duo helped lead Findlay to a 33-0 mark and the mythical high school national championship. In 21 games at St. Benedict’s last year, Thompson averaged 19.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest.

No. 3/3 Texas opens the 2009-10 season with a home tilt against UC Irvine on Sunday, Nov. 15 as part of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. Tip is set for 1 p.m. Central at the Frank Erwin Center, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPNU.

2010-11 Texas Basketball Recruiting Class

Name                                             Yr          Pos           Ht             Wt             Hometown (Previous School)

Tristan Thompson                       Fr             F             6-9            240            Brampton, Ontario, Canada (Findlay Prep [Henderson, Nev.])