Five Hoops Transfers Texas Should Target in Portal

Texas' roster could look much different in the coming months

Author:
Zach Dimmitt
Mar 30, 2022 7:05 PM EDT

Nearly a year after the hire of Chris Beard as head coach, the Texas Longhorns must again look to the transfer portal in order to shape up next year's roster.

The return of players like Timmy Allen, Marcus Carr, Andrew Jones, Tre Mitchell, and Courtney Ramey are uncertain, leaving the Longhorns with major question marks headed deeper into the offseason.

Marcus Carr

An experienced Texas squad could suddenly be led by a team full of underclassmen, with little depth overall. As much as Beard would like, he probably won't be able to secure a top transfer class again this offseason, but it's interesting to speculate who the Longhorns might have their eye on.

Here's five players Texas should target in the transfer portal.

Xavier Pinson

Guard, LSU Tigers

2021-2022 stats: 9.8 points, 4.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds

The firing of coach Will Wade on March 12 sent LSU into a transfer bonanza, as a handful of players have announced their intent to leave the program in the past few weeks. Add Pinson to that list, though he might be the most important player LSU is losing to the portal.

Texas' pursuit of Pinson all depends on who returns to the Texas backcourt. When healthy last season, the LSU guard was the Tigers' leading distributor, notching 133 total assists. He could provide important floor general capabilities to a Texas team that played at an extremely slow pace on offense last season.

Sean McNeil

Guard, West Virginia Mountaineers

2021-2022 stats: 12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 41.4 percent from the floor

McNeil is a knockdown shooter that is all too familiar with the Longhorns and Beard. With Jase Febres unable to return and the uncertainty of Jones and Ramey coming back, the Horns could lose three of their best 3-point shooters next season.

Should McNeil join Texas, he'd become the team's go-to 3-point shooter from day one. Last season, he was second on West Virginia in 3s made (57) while playing the most total minutes (1076) of any Mountaineer.

He's also more than capable of running the point when needed, something that would prove vital for the Horns depending on how the roster shifts.

Terrance Shannon Jr.

Guard, Texas Tech Red Raiders

2021-2022 stats: 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists

It’s a shot in the dark, but why not? Shannon is rumored to be leaning toward Kentucky or return to Lubbock, but Beard spoke highly of Shannon’s NBA-level talent prior to playing Texas Tech this season. The familiarity could no doubt play a part in Beard's pursuit of his former player.

It’s unlikely the Horns land Shannon, but they should definitely be ringing his phone.

Eduardo Andre

Center, Nebraska Cornhuskers

2021-2022 stats: 3.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 57.1 percent from the floor

Andre played sparingly on a struggling Cornhuskers team this past season, but flashed potential. At 6-11, 236 pounds, Andre would give Texas some much-needed size off the bench.

He’s not the athlete Christian Bishop is, but he could help fill some of the holes down low that ended up plaguing the Horns in their second-round loss to Purdue 10 days ago.

Fardaws Aimaq

Center, Utah Valley Wolverines

2021-2022 stats: 18.9 points, 13.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks

Aimaq is the only one on this list from a mid-major, but he’ll likely remain as one of the most sought-after transfers through this offseason. He had 24 points and 22 rebounds in Utah Valley's huge upset over No. 12 BYU on Dec. 1, proving he can put up productive numbers against bigger competition.

Like Andre, Aimaq would give the Longhorns an important presence in the frontcourt. From an offensive and defensive standpoint, he’s a difference-maker.