Dwyane Wade Makes Surprise Appearance at Texas Basketball Opener

Dwyane Wade was in Austin to watch Isaiah Johnson's Texas Longhorns debut on Monday night.

Nov 2, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Former NBA player Dwyane Wade Jr. wears a jersey for Texas Longhorns guard Isaiah Johnson (2) during the game against the Chicago State Cougars at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NBA legend Dwyane Wade was in attendance at the Moody Center for the Texas Longhorns' 109-59 win over the Chicago State Cougars on Monday night to support his godson, point guard Isaiah Johnson.

“It means the world to me," Johnson said postgame about the three-time NBA Champion sitting courtside to support him in his first regular season game at the Moody Center.

"It was a surreal moment. I've been waiting on this moment since I transferred here."

courtside stacked for game 1 🤘#HookEm | #AlwaysCompete pic.twitter.com/zRPDwmPP6I

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) November 3, 2026

A Moment For Marcus Spears

Johnson wasn't the only player with a famous athlete in the family who was in the headlines for his support.

Marcus Spears Jr.'s father, Marcus Spears, was seen on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown proudly watching his son's first pregame walk through the tunnel. While Spears Sr. was on assignment in Seattle for the Bears-Seahawks game, he was shown on camera getting emotional.

This is what it's all about 🥹

Marcus Spears gets emotional reacting to his son's, Marcus Spears Jr., arrival ahead of Chicago State vs. Texas ❤️ pic.twitter.com/DQIFKZPwfL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 3, 2026

In his debut wearing Burnt Orange, Johnson scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Johnson also amassed five assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 25 minutes of floor-time. Impressively, Johnson hit three of his five attempts from beyond the arc.

Johnson played for Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes during his freshman season. He got a taste of Big 12 competition and got to compete against many of the top-rated prospects. Johnson viewed the experience as a positive one.

UT head coach Sean Miller believes he can reach a new gear on the Forty Acres, though.

“This past year at Colorado, he was 18 years old,” Miller said last month. “That’s remarkable to think about the single season he had in a great conference … when you have somebody that age, I feel like their ceiling is higher.”

Certainly, Monday was a fast start for DWade's godson on the No. 7 team in the nation. Coming off a Sweet 16, there are big expectations for this program, and Johnson is a new reason why.

Texas Dominates Chicago State Beyond the Arc

Nov 2, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns play offense against the Chicago State Cougars during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Johnson wasn't the only player to scorch the nets from downtown.

Texas splashed home 13 three-pointers on 50% shooting against a Chicago State defense that was not extending out to the corner spots behind the line.

Six Longhorns splashed home threes, with Joe Sterling leading the way on 4-of-6 long-distance shooting.

While the level of competition was a team that went 7–25 in the NEC in 2025-26, UT's unselfish tendencies (22 assists) and 44-22 rebounding edge over Chicago State was a nice start if these habits stick.

Texas hosts the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on Thursday.

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