Editor’s Note: Since original publication, graduate guard Tramon Mark and starter junior guard Jordan Pope have confirmed their return next season. This story has been updated to reflect these developments.
Sean Miller has a plan.
As quick as the new Texas men’s basketball coach hopped off the plane in Austin, he was quicker to dip his toes into the transfer portal waters.
“The vision of the program starts with recruiting,” Miller said.
Inheriting former head coach Rodney Terry’s “one-year team,” Miller needs to fill roster spots left open by six graduating players and sophomore guard Devon Pryor, who transferred to Oregon a few days after Miller’s hiring. Freshman guard Tre Johnson will also likely be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA draft, leaving a total of eight open spots.
However, Miller plans to leverage the Texas brand to influence players from other states and countries to rep the burnt orange along with native Texans.
“The great state of Texas, it might be the most talent-rich state in our country when it comes to recruiting,” Miller said. “(But) you can go to Canada and get Tristan Thompson, you can go to Seattle and get Avery Bradley. It’s both the combination of this great state and also the world. Our job is to recruit the world and bring the best program and team we can here to Texas.”
Miller has already filled one spot with sophomore guard Dailyn Swain, bringing a familiar face with him to Texas. The 6-foot-8 guard averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in his last season at Xavier.
However, Miller was unable to bring over one of his former star players, junior guard Ryan Conwell. Conwell was predicted to commit to either Texas or Indiana with a visit to Texas planned on Wednesday, but in a big loss for the developing program, he was brought in by Louisville.
With so many roster spots available, Miller has not lost focus on retaining current players on the roster, with a special focus in the first week on junior guard Chendall Weaver.
Coming back from a hip injury that sidelined him for most of the season, Weaver made a huge impact in March. In the press conference after the First Four game, Miller commented on the impact of Weaver on the Texas team late in the season.
“Weaver is really a unique player,” Miller said. “When he checked into the game tonight in the first half, the game flipped upside down … He pushed the pace and I thought that surge happened because of him.”
After posting a picture of a plane in Dallas on his Instagram story, Weaver posted a picture of himself, his brother, Ogden and Miller. All of them had their horns up, potentially hinting at him staying.
While there has not been official confirmation for Weaver, starter junior guard Jordan Pope, graduate guard Tramon Mark, and freshman forward Nic Codie have all confirmed they will remain Longhorns.
Miller won’t just be bringing players from Xavier to Texas. According to reports from college basketball insider Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Miller will bring his staff on as assistant coaches: Adam Cohen, David Miller and Ryan Anderson.
The reports confirm what Miller said in his introductory press conference. While the reports have not yet been confirmed by Texas Athletics, it is no surprise that Miller would try to bring along at least David Miller and Anderson, who have been with him since Arizona.
According to the report, he will also bring on Ryan Reynolds as director of basketball operations while keeping the current Texas general manager, Chris Ogden, on staff.
“There’s a great group of people that I have in Xavier, which a number of will come with me,” Miller said. “I’m also realistic and understanding that, here at the University of Texas, having people that are a part of this great state, that have a history and tradition and the know-how, whether it be in recruiting or growing up here or playing at the University of Texas.”
