Texas men’s basketball has a luxury on the team this season: two prominent point guards. Head coach Rodney Terry recruited Oregon State junior transfer Jordan Pope and Indiana State graduate transfer Julian Larry out of the transfer portal this offseason, and the duo is set to show up on the court.
The Longhorns’ star guard last season was graduate Max Abmas, who declared for the 2024 NBA Draft and is now playing in the G League. Terry sees his new guards as two unique players. He said Pope resembles Abmas in a way of scoring off the ball, while Larry is in more of a traditional point guard role, scoring a little but making guys around him better.
“They totally could play together,” Terry said. “We played those guys together in the last (scrimmage against Colorado). Both (scrimmages) we played them together. We’ll do that from time to time, and they’re guys who complement each other.”
During his time in Corvallis, Pope was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and received an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection. As a sophomore in 2023-24, he led the Beavers in scoring, assists and minutes.
Larry will be playing in a Power Five team for the first time in his career after four years in the Missouri Valley Conference. He finished his time at Indiana State earning All-MVC third-team honors.
“(Larry’s) a great piece for his leadership, his facilitating, his playmaking, it works whether I’m on the court or not,” Pope said. “When I am on the court, it gives me a chance to play off the ball and think more like shot first, shot ready, and stuff like that. It just helps me play a lot easier in three. Then when it’s just me, he helps me step my game up in terms of leadership and my playmaking. He’s a great guy to lead by example.”
The expected starting lineup for the Longhorns could include both the point guards, as well as freshman guard Tre Johnson and returner graduate forward Kadin Shedrick, but Pope is more likely to be the starting point guard. The official starters will only be confirmed shortly before tip-off against Ohio State on Monday evening.
The two point guards might be newcomers on the team but have plenty of college basketball experience to back them up. An opening night matchup against a Power Five conference team will give them the opportunity to show Texas fans what they’re made of.
“We’re excited for the opportunity,” Pope said. “Just a great night to be able to go out there and show people what we have on our team, and a great game that (is) against Ohio State. It’ll be a good challenge for us and a good stepping stone for us moving in the right direction.”
