Isaiah Johnson's Colorado Experience To Shape His Future Fit With Texas

This offseason, the Colorado Buffaloes have lost a majority of the roster to the transfer portal, which will require great additions and activity in the transfer portal and high school recruiting.

Following the close of the college basketball season, guard Isaiah Johnson has committed to the Texas Longhorns out of the transfer portal.

Former Colorado Buffaloes Guard Isaiah Johnson Makes Transfer Portal Decision For 2026 Texas Longhorns — Feb 14, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Isaiah Johnson (2) of the Colorado Buffaloes drives while being defended by BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the second half at the Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Isaiah Johnson Commits To Texas

Johnson was one of the more consistent scorers for the Buffaloes last season and set the individual freshman scoring record at Colorado.

In the 2025 season, Johnson averaged 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He was also very efficient as he shot 48.6 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three, and 82.1 percent from the free-throw line.

As a freshman, Johnson consistently showed how talented he was as a scorer, but also that he could put pressure on opposing guards to generate turnovers and generate easy offense for Colorado. Johnson’s playmaking is also solid and could improve with the Longhorns.

With his skill set and talent as one of the better young guards in the country, the Big 12 did have some competition for Johnson, but the opportunity to play in the SEC against teams like Florida and Alabama seemed to be an opportunity that Johnson could not pass up.

Isaiah Johnson’s Fit With Texas

Heading into next season, Johnson has an opportunity to step right in and be a major contributor for the Longhorns. The main reason being that Texas is losing most of the backcourt to graduation, in guards Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope, and Chendall Weaver.

As a result of these departures, Texas desperately needed an efficient and consistent scorer to get the offense going, as well as someone who had some playmaking ability to get the rest of the team involved. Johnson fits right into that role, and with his experience from his freshman year, he could be even better in 2026.

Other than the schematic fit, the Longhorns also give Johnson a great chance to win after just recently making the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament and consistently being in the conversation to make the tournament every season.

The opportunity for Johnson to make it to the NCAA Tournament is something that could benefit him greatly. With how good of a player Johnson already is, being able to play on a stage like March Madness could not only grow his confidence but also build toward playing in the NBA if that is what he desires.

Colorado Buffaloes Outlook

The loss of Johnson leaves a big hole in scoring for Colorado and is something they may need to address in the transfer portal.

In the backcourt, freshman guards Josiah Sanders, Ian Inman, Jalin Holland, and Barrington Hargress have announced their return to Boulder for next season. Hargress showcased in 2025 that he could have a major role in an offense after averaging 14.7 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Sanders, Inman, and Holland all showed flashes last season, but they all must make significant improvements to help mitigate the loss of scoring from Johnson, in addition to forwards Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik to the transfer portal.

Colorado coach Tad Boyle definitely has some work to do, but because he was able to retain some of the young talent in Holland, Inman, and Sanders added onto the return of a veteran like Hargress, the Buffaloes could be in a great position to add to the roster and build on what was a decent season in 2025.

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