Dallas ? A 16-year-old sophomore forward at Greenville High School has orally committed to play at Texas Tech even though he won’t be able to play for Bob Knight until the fall of 2005.

Oral commitments aren’t binding, and Justin Wilkerson cannot sign a national letter of intent until November 2004, during his senior season at Greenville. Wilkerson said Knight had promised a full scholarship even if he gets hurt in high school.

Wilkerson averaged 16.1 points and eight rebounds as a freshman on the Greenville varsity. He also had 100 blocks and 40 three-pointers. He has averaged 19.5 points and 16 rebounds in Greenville’s first two games of the 2002-03 season.

Greenville coach Rusty Harden said Wilkerson resembled former Tech center Andy Ellis.