Devon Pryor Transfer Decision Starting to Pay Off for Texas Longhorns

Texas Longhorns forward Devon Pryor has shown steady growth in the middle of SEC play.

Texas Longhorns forward Devon Pryor (22) listens to coaching during a timeout in the second half of the Longhorns' game against the Chicago State Cougars at the Moody Center in Austin, Nov. 12, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUSTIN -- Texas Longhorns men's basketball is coming off a disappointing road loss to the No. 23 Ole Miss Rebels on Wednesday but it's clear that the team is trending up following crucial ranked wins over Missouri and Texas A&M last week.

Yet on a squad highlighted with veterans and star true freshman Tre Johnson, it's the continued growth of sophomore forward Devon Pryor off the bench that could pay notable dividends as the Longhorns battle for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Fortunately for Texas fans, Pryor stuck around to show off this development instead of testing the transfer portal waters this offseason after seeing limited minutes during his first season in Austin.

Texas Longhorns on SI asked Pryor in September about this decision to stay, something he said came down to trusting the plan that Rodney Terry and the coaching staff had for him.

Jan 29, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Devon Pryor (22) reacts during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"I understood the situation I came into," Pryor told Texas Longhorns on SI. "I knew it was like, 'Okay, there's a chance I could play, but at the end of the day, it's on me.' And given the fact that we had such an older team, and I was a baby and I came late ... I had a trust in this coaching staff, and I know they have a plan for me, and I'm just here to execute it."

After the missing the first two games of non-conference play due to an ankle injury, Pryor continues to show improvement in his second season with Texas. After tallying four important points in the 70-69 win over Texas A&M, he had arguably his most impactful game as a Longhorn in the loss to Ole Miss, finishing with six points, a career-high five rebounds and his first-career block in 16 minutes while playing some solid 1-on-1 defense against some of the Rebels' most impactful players. On top of that, he displayed his SEC-made athleticism with a pair of high-flying dunks that showed what he can bring to the table for Texas' transition offense.

Terry kept true on his promise after the win over Texas A&M that Pryor would be seeing more minutes moving forward.

"Devon Pryor came in and played really, really well for us," Terry said after the A&M game. "I love what he's doing right now for us, and he's gonna continue to get minutes, man."

Jan 18, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Devon Pryor (22) drives to the basket away from Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

There's no denying Pryor's elite athleticism, but he's also shown a solid ability to get to his spots in the midrange with minimal dribbles. Instead of jacking up a contested triple, both of his baskets against A&M came from off-the-bounce midrange jumpers after getting past the defender on the closeout. His second set of points against Ole Miss came in the same fashion.

For a young player, Pryor shows steady patience with the ball in his hands. Instead of forcing shots up against A&M, he displayed solid feel for finding the open man, even if it didn't always directly result in points. On a team thats currently averaging the fourth-fewest assists in the SEC, this trait can't be overlooked.

Pryor originally committed to LSU out of high school before flipping to Texas. He'll now face off against the Tigers for the second time in two season when the Longhorns tip-off from Baton Rouge on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT.

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