Dailyn Swain is tracking as Texas’ next first-round NBA Draft pick, giving the Longhorns another reminder that Austin still produces pros.
Dailyn Swain has turned Texas basketball’s one-year gamble into an NBA Draft payoff. The 6-6 wing arrived in Austin from Xavier, reunited with Sean Miller, then played himself into first-round range with the kind of breakout season that changes a player’s future fast.
Now, with the 2026 NBA Draft arriving Tuesday night in New York, Swain looks like the Longhorns’ best bet to hear Adam Silver call his name early.
Swain averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in his lone season at Texas, giving the Longhorns a downhill scorer, versatile defender and reliable mismatch piece on the wing.
He wasn’t just a numbers guy, either. He helped push Texas to the Sweet 16 in Miller’s first season, which immediately raised the temperature around a program trying to reestablish itself near the top of the SEC.
The appeal for NBA teams is pretty obvious.
Swain has the frame, athleticism and defensive tools front offices crave. At the NBA Combine, he measured 6-6.5, 211 pounds, with a 6-10 wingspan. He also posted a 36½-inch max vertical and performed well in multiple shooting drills, including spot-up shooting and off-the-dribble work.
Swain hit 34.8 percent from 3-point range at Texas and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line, which gives evaluators something to argue about.
Is he a developing shooter with real touch? Or is he a slashing wing who’ll need time before defenses respect him from deep? That debate could decide whether he lands in the teens or closer to the back of the first round.
The Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers have all been connected to Swain in mock-draft projections, and each fit tells a slightly different story.
Charlotte could bet on upside at No. 18. San Antonio could see him as a rugged rotation wing at No. 20. Los Angeles could chase athleticism and defense at No. 25.
As for the rest of the Texas draft picture, Tramon Mark, Chendall Weaver and Jordan Pope aren’t expected to be selected, while former Longhorn Dillon Mitchell has drawn second-round buzz after later stops at Cincinnati and St. John’s.
If Swain goes in Round 1, Texas would have back-to-back first-round picks after Tre Johnson went sixth overall in 2025. That’s not a small deal.
The Longhorns may still be chasing bigger March moments, but when it comes to producing NBA talent, Texas keeps reminding everybody it belongs in the conversation.
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