Texas Basketball Projecting As Top-Five Team For Upcoming Season?

In Jeff Goodman's latest Men's Basketball Top 25 Preseason Rankings, the Longhorns once again hold lofty expectations.

Zach Dimmitt | Jul 6, 2021

The Texas Longhorns enter the fall hoops season with their eyes fixed on one thing: results.

Texas' top-tier coaching hire in Chris Beard paired with an elite roster of transfers has fans and media buzzing. According to Jeff Goodman's latest 2021-2022 Preseason Top 25, the burnt orange is the country's fourth-best team heading into the season.

Proven programs like Gonzaga, Villanova, and Kansas came in on Goodman's list at one, two, and three, respectively.

Texas will face off against two of those programs next season.

Goodman gave his take on what Longhorn Nation can expect from a Texas team that has still barely had time to get to know each other.

"Chris Beard and his staff brought two double-digit scorers back to Austin in Jones and Ramey, and added five top transfers. The point guard spot will be key and whether Askew can be a front-line floor leader, but there’s enough talent in Austin to go with one of the best coaches in the country."

Last season, No. 3 Texas was poised to make a deep tournament run but fell flat in the first round against Abilene Christian despite having NBA-level talent. The early exit caused the group to dismantle but set the Horns on a crash course into a new era with Beard.

A few mainstays on last years' team will stay another season on the Forty Acres, as G Andrew Jones, G Courtney Ramey, F Brock Cunningham, and G Jase Febres will suit up for Beard and Co. The combined veteran leadership -- especially from the likes of Jones and Ramey -- will ultimately be what puts Texas over the hump.

It's crazy to think that the Longhorns will be running with almost an entirely new squad and coaching staff, but that's the reality of the transfer portal. Despite losing five players to the portal, Texas' five new transfers are some of the best in the country.

The additions of C Tre Mitchell (UMass), F Timmy Allen (Utah), F Dylan Disu (Vanderbilt), F Christian Bishop (Creighton), and G Devin Askew (Kentucky) all offer versatility to Beard's roster.

The team also secured a commitment from guard Jaylon Tyson, a top-50 national prospect out of high school.

According to Goodman's Top 101 Transfers of 2021, Texas secured three of the top-15 best available transfer players. Allen and Disu were ranked seventh and 13th respectively in Goodman's rankings, while Mitchell was profiled as the second-best transfer in the country.

And yet, Beard likely isn't done with working his masterful recruiting skills.

On Monday, 247Sports reported that top-ranked Minnesota grad-transfer Marcus Carr was considering Texas, Kansas, Louisville, and Kentucky as potential destinations. The 22-year-old guard was the number one transfer on both Goodman's and ESPN's latest rankings.

If Beard can reel Carr to Austin, the expectations put on the Longhorns will only continue to grow. For now, it remains to be seen how this roster full of fresh faces will play together.

All the pieces are there. A repeat Big 12 title is certainly in reach, but this Texas team has bigger dreams.

CONTINUE READING: Longhorns Recruiting Tracker: Texas Target KJ Miles Commits To Georgia Tech

Will Texas Men's Basketball reach its Top-5 potential? Comment and join in on the discussion below!

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Published Jul 6, 2021

ZACH DIMMITT