Longhorns G Tyrese Hunter Returning Next Season
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Longhorns have received the official news they were hoping for.
Texas guard Tyrese Hunter will return to the Forty Acres for his junior year next season after withdrawing his name from the 2023 NBA Draft, he announced on social media Thursday.
Rather than entering the transfer portal after declaring for the draft on March 31, Hunter remained stout in his commitment to Texas should his NBA aspirations fall a bit short this time around.
He'll now re-join a backcourt that has added two transfers in Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas and UT Arlington guard Chendall Weaver. Hunter and Abmas are set to be the two starting guards with split ball-handler and facilitator responsibilities. The duo has an argument for representing one of the better backcourts in the country.
Hunter arrived to Texas last offseason as a transfer from Iowa State. This season, he started all 38 games for the Longhorns, playing 30.2 minutes per game while averaging 10.3 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Hunter was key to Texas' run to the Elite Eight, as he averaged 11 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, which included a team-high 19 points in the 83-71 win over the Xavier Musketeers in the Sweet 16.
After the loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the Elite Eight, Hunter told LonghornsCountry.com that he was unsure about the future and wouldn't commit to a return next season.
"I don't know the future for sure," he said. "None of us really, I don't know what the future is gonna look like. But for the program moving forward, I think the program is in pretty good shape.”
Despite some tough offseason blows, it's hard to argue that the program has remained in good shape based considering how the Longhorns have managed to make some seemingly impressive additions to the roster since bowing out of the NCAA Tournament.
Hunter will look to be a main reason why Texas gets back to that stage next spring.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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