The Texas basketball program and new head coach Sean Miller have been active since early this offseason, filling out the roster for 2025. Miller got down to work immediately, recruiting top transfers from the portal and recruiting top returning players to Texas for the 2025-26 season for the SEC.
Over half of Texas's eligible returning players for the upcoming 2025-26 season in the SEC were convinced by Miller to return to school for next year. A handful of rising and developing players for the Longhorns in the backcourt and forward rotations left via the transfer portal early this offseason this spring.
A duo of former Xavier players in the frontcourt joined Miller, coming from the Musketeers in the Big East, to Texas this offseason for 2025. Miller also added three other transfers from the spring portal this offseason, including St. John's lengthy guard Simeon Wilcher and former FAU seven-footer big man Matas Vokietaitis.
G-Jordan Pope
To-be senior guard Jordan Pope is one of many Longhorns players Miller did a nice job of convincing to return to Texas for another season, going into the 2025-26 season. Pope is the Longhorns' top returning three-point shooter from distance for Miller and Texas in the backcourt unit.
Miller needs Pope to lead the backcourt with
Leading the backcourt unit, Pope gives the Longhorns some familiarity and steadiness as an experienced and proven primary ball-handler and playmaking on the offensive end of the floor.
G-Chendall Weaver
On the defensive end of the floor, rising senior guard Chendall Weaver will be the Longhorns' best and most energetic backcourt perimeter defender. Weaver gives the Longhorns some defensive toughness and returning experience to help give the defense a boost from a proven guard player.
Offensively, Weaver should be a nice fit in Miller's up-tempo, floor-spaced system with his ability to space the floor. Weaver shot at least 40 percent from deep in two out of three seasons in his collegiate career at Texas and UT-Arlington.
G-Tramon Mark
Texas gets a double-digit point-per-game scorer returning to the starting lineup for this upcoming season in 2025-26, with sixth-year senior shooting guard/wing Tramon Mark for next year. Mark gives the Longhorns and Miller a valuable floor spacer and lengthy playmaker on the offensive end.
Mark is a key secondary playmaker and off-ball scoring threat who can effectively knock down open looks from the mid-range and beyond the arc in the corners and above the break.
Down the stretch this past season and in the postseason, Mark scored at least a dozen points in five out of six games, including 16 points in the First Four game loss in the NCAA Tournament vs. Xavier.
F-Dailyn Swain
Former Xavier big man transfer Dailyn Swain has future sights set on making the NBA Draft journey in the next couple of years. Swain is a big factor piece for Miller and the Longhorns in the frontcourt rotation in the SEC next season for the upcoming campaign.
This past postseason and for the Big East Tournament, Swain showed off his ability to score the basketball consistently and at a high level, scoring in double figures in the postseason's final three games.
C-Lassina Traore
The 6-foot-9 and 220-pound big man transfer Lassina Traore brings valuable frontcourt starting experience and interior paint defense to the Longhorns this upcoming season at the five at center. Traore was projected in the starting five this past preseason to be Miller's starting big at the center position down low for the Musketeers in the Big East for 2024-25.
Miller gets solid rebounding, back-to-the-basket inside scoring, and toughness and interior rim protection on the defensive end of the floor with Traore for the final year of his collegiate eligibility at Texas for this upcoming season.