With the exhibition tipoff less than 24 hours away, it’s time for the third of four installments in LRT’s “Meet the Freshmen” series. Today we take a look at Alexis Wangmene, the only one of the four newcomers without any injury issues heading into the 2007-08 season.

Wangmene is a tenacious rebounder, something the Longhorns will sorely need after losing Kevin Durant and his 11.1 RPG to the NBA. Alexis still needs some work on his shot, but on a team that also features Damion James, A.J. Abrams, and D.J. Augustin, he is not going to be relied on as a scorer.

Wangmene was discovered in Cameroon at age 15 when San Antonio Spurs general manager R.C. Buford spotted him at a Basketball Without Borders camp. Buford and his wife became Wangmene’s guardians and moved him to San Antonio, where he attended Central Catholic High in San Antonio. During his junior season, Alexis was named to the TAPPS 6A All-State team. The following year, he transferred to Blair Academy in New Jersey, which produced such standouts as Luol Deng and Charlie Villanueva….and, of course, former Longhorn Royal Ivey.

Because Wangmene missed out on all of the camps, AAU teams, and developmental programs that abound in the United States for young talent, he’s harboring a ton of potential that has yet to be tapped. Working with Rick Barnes, Todd Wright, and the rest of the Longhorns coaching staff is going to lead to tremendous growth all four years for this exciting player. So while this season we will see Alexis help shore up a previously weak inside game for the Horns, the role he plays for Texas in his senior year will undoubtedly be huge.

Last night

T.J. Ford started off the season on the right foot, logging a double-double in the 106-97 Raptors victory. Ford had 14 points, 12 assists, and a pair of both rebounds and steals in his 31 minutes on the floor.

Kevin Durant’s first NBA point came just a minute and twenty-four seconds in Seattle’s 120-103 loss to the Nuggets. K-Smoove added 17 other points in his 32 minutes on the floor, although his shooting was uncharacteristically off. He hit only 7-of-22 from the floor, but added five rebounds and three steals.

Daniel Gibson and the Cavs had a rough night after hanging their Eastern Conference Championship banner. Cleveland fell behind by fourteen at the end of the first quarter, and the Mavs coasted to a road victory, 92-74. D-Gib played 33 minutes in the season opener, scoring eight points on 50% shooting with four assists and two rebounds.

Royal Ivey didn’t see much action in Wednesday night’s season opener as the Bucks fell to the Magic in Orlando, 102-83. Royal played for only 2 minutes and 54 seconds, but hit the only shot he took and added a rebound.

Tonight

Kevin Durant and the Sonics return home a night after their road loss, hosting the high-tempo Phoenix Suns. (9:30 Central, TNT)

Last Night

LaMarcus Aldridge started the season off with a bang, leading all scorers as Portland lost to San Antonio, 106-97. After sinking the very first basket of the NBA’s 2007-08 season, Aldridge finished with 27 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Unfortunately, he often had difficulty getting rebounding position against the talented Tim Duncan, logging only three boards on the night. But on the plus side of the ledger, L.A. looked comfortable in Nate McMillin’s up-tempo offense. He ran the floor remarkably well for a big man, including one great fast-break dunk during a third-quarter comeback.

The Lakers staged a late rally to tie the Houston Rockets in the final seconds, but ultimately lost, 95-93. Maurice Evans and Chris Mihm provided some minutes off the bench, although Mihm did not even see the floor until the third quarter. Evans contributed with two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in his fourteen minutes of play. Meanwhile, Mihm saw most of the minutes at center eaten up by Kwame Brown and Andrew Bynum. Chris played eight minutes, scoring three points and pulling down two boards.

Tonight

T.J. Ford and the Raptors kick off the season at home against the 76ers. (6 PM Central)

Royal Ivey plays his first game as a Buck when Milwaukee travels to Orlando. (6 PM Central)

The defending Eastern Conference champions start the season on national TV as Daniel Gibson and the Cavs host last year’s first-round flameout, the Dallas Mavericks. (7 PM Central, ESPN)

The Texas Exes doubleheader continues when Kevin Durant leads the Sonics to Denver in another nationally-televised game. (9:30 PM Central, ESPN)

It’s time for the second installment of the four-part “Meet the freshman” series, and for the second straight day, the Austin-American Statesman provides us with a story about one of the newest Longhorns. But while yesterday’s news regarding Dogus Balbay was troubling, today fans learn that Gary Johnson has been cleared to play in the exhibition.

Johnson was the prize jewel of Rick Barnes’ 2007 recruiting class, sitting in the top 25 of every major reporting outlet’s rankings. An undersized post player at 6-foot, 6-inches, Gary is known for his incredible post moves, constant motor, and sweet touch from the blocks. Sound familiar? It should. Johnson’s game has drawn comparisons to P.J. Tucker for some time, and now that he’s donning burnt orange, journalists and sportscasters will surely rehash that point.

Gary played his high school ball at Aldine in Houston, where the Mustangs reached the Class 5A Region III semifinals in each of the last two seasons. Johnson was also a member of the insanely loaded Houston Hoops AAU team, which included Jai Lucas (Florida), Mike Singletary (Texas Tech), and Anthony Jones (Yates HS, Baylor commit).

Uncertainty surrounded Johnson all summer after it was announced he was suffering from a heart condition. News from the Forty Acres came out in trickles, as the basketball program kept tight lips regarding the situation, citing privacy concerns. First, there were whispers that GJ was taking part in individual workouts. Then, the Statesman announced he was cleared for team practice. With this latest bit of news, there is a very strong chance that Johnson will be ready before non-conference play is over.

Conditioning will likely be an issue for the first few months, as Johnson added weight during the sedentary phase following the initial diagnosis. But this Texas team is in strong need of a presence in the frontcourt, and Johnson — owner of a 7’1″ wingspan — is the leading candidate. Once he gets up to full speed, he’ll likely lead the team in rebounds and will be one of the top scorers.

Perhaps most important for fans to remember in all of this is that Texas will exercise extreme caution. Johnson is going to be re-evaluated after Friday’s game to see how his body handles the added stress of game conditions. Even if he’s then cleared for the regular season, doctors and coaches will still take things slowly. But when Gary and the medical staff think it’s safe enough for him to take the court full-time, he is guaranteed to immediately and dramatically improve the team.

The new NBA season tips off tonight, and while there are only three games on the slate, burnt orange will still be invading the airwaves.

LaMarcus Aldridge and the Trailblazers travel to San Antonio to check out a ring ceremony and try to dethrone the champs. (7 PM Central, TNT)

Chris Mihm and Maurice Evans continue the long road back from injury as the Lakers host Rick Adelman’s Rockets. (9:30 PM Central, TNT)