Texas Basketball’s Portal Haul Gives Sean Miller a New Monster

Sean Miller arrived at Texas without the luxury of building a carefully constructed roster. He still pushed the Longhorns from the First Four to the Sweet 16, where Purdue ended their season with a last-second tip-in.

Now Miller has had time, relationships and an entire transfer-portal cycle at his disposal. The result is a Texas basketball roster carrying real top-10 expectations and enough depth to make another March run feel like the minimum rather than a miracle.

MORE: Ex Longhorns Slugger Aiden Robbins Is Already Making the Mets Look Smart

Texas landed the nation’s No. 4 transfer class and No. 5 high school class, with Marcus Spear Jr.’s reclassification adding even more firepower. The five-man portal haul brings scoring, size, defense and multiple years of eligibility to Austin.

Colorado transfer Isaiah Johnson may be the most explosive addition. Johnson averaged 16.9 points as a freshman, ranking third in the Big 12, while also leading Colorado in steals, made 3-pointers and free throws.

“Isaiah Johnson, 18 years old a year ago at Colorado in the Big 12, averaged 16 points a game, and I think that if I just stop right there, if you’re in the Big 12 Conference and you shoot the percentages that he shot, and you average 16 points a game as an 18-year-old, I think it shows that he has a huge high ceiling, and we’re we’re really excited about helping him get to that ceiling,” Miller said.

Johnson is working back from a minor thumb injury, but Texas didn’t add him merely to collect points. Miller believes the former Colorado guard can become a more complete creator while adding strength for the nightly punishment of SEC basketball.

TCU transfer David Punch gives the Longhorns something they badly lacked last season: a legitimate power forward capable of playing next to center Matas Vokietaitis.

Punch became one of the portal’s biggest prizes after a breakout year with the Horned Frogs, but Miller’s pursuit of him began long before that.

“We thought he was a diamond in the rough, tried very hard, but built a relationship with his family and David. I think they recognized that we really believed in him- that was helpful. Once David went in the portal, that it gave us a leg up,” Miller said.

Punch showed his ceiling during TCU’s victory over Florida, producing 19 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals while shooting 7-of-9 from the floor.

“Playing for Jamie Dixon, great coach in the Big 12, like Isaiah, he’s proven rebounding, scoring, shooting percentage. If you looked at what he did, for example, at TCU versus Florida a year ago, very, very few players have played better against Florida a year ago than what David did,” Punch said.

Punch’s strength beside the 7-foot Vokietaitis could fundamentally change Texas’ identity around the basket.

“We’re thrilled to add his experience, his physicality, and mostly like when you get guys from the portal, you want them to fit, and I think Matas and David Punch form a very physical one-two punch, no pun intended,” Miller said.

Elyjah Freeman brings another kind of upside. The former unranked recruit climbed from Division II Lincoln Memorial to Auburn and now Texas, building his reputation through athleticism and defensive activity.

“When we scouted Auburn, he jumped off the page in terms of his athleticism and the plays that he made,” Miller said.

Freeman averaged 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds while leading Auburn with 49 steals. He also scored 10 points in 19 minutes against Texas, giving Miller a close look at what the versatile wing could become.

“Auburn plays one of America’s toughest schedules a year ago and had a prominent role, had a great ending to his season, and I just think Elijah’s versatility and his upside reminds me a lot of a Daylin Swain - where where he is today is nowhere near where he can be - and so excited about his versatility on the wing,” Miller said.

Amari Evans provides even more defensive muscle. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Tennessee transfer averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman while collecting 34 steals in a reserve role.

“We recruited Amari very hard out of high school when we were at Xavier, formed I think a trust and a strong relationship with his mom and him. Obviously, me and him drank the same water, right? We’re from the same area, so we finished second to Tennessee. But oftentimes, the way the portal works, that familiarity helps, and once he went into the portal, we knew him. We knew a lot about him.,” Miller said.

Evans’ shooting remains a project after he made 22 percent from three and 57.5 percent at the free-throw line, but his length and physicality give Texas a defender capable of handling multiple positions.

“I just think Amari’s defensive presence, his physicality, playing for Coach Barnes, like Elyjah Freeman playing in the SEC a year ago, you’re bringing in an experienced, seasoned player, yet he’s still young in his development. And again, I don’t think he’s anywhere near where his ceiling is,” Miller said.

Former Saint Mary’s guard Mikey Lewis completes the transfer group and may be its most natural scorer. Lewis averaged 13.9 points, shot 36.8 percent from three and converted 88.2 percent of his free throws.

“If you play for Coach Bennett, you’re one of the most well-coached players in college basketball. First of all, Newcomer of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, All-Conference player this year, scored over 30 points against Gonzaga, played a prominent role on back-to-back NCAA tournament teams, and again, somebody who can shoot the basketball and score it, who’s played at a very high level and has been from a winning culture,” Miller said.

The most dangerous part of Miller’s rebuild may be that Texas isn’t banking on five one-season rentals. The Longhorns deliberately targeted young transfers who could grow together and potentially remain in Austin beyond 2027.

“That’s the one common theme with the guys we got this spring - they’re not like a one-year player. They’re not in their final season. They’ve been in college for three or four years. You know, most of the guys we got, if you think about it, I’m talking about their upside, their age - they have multiple years - and I think that’s exciting, the possibilities for us and them,” Miller said.

Texas surprised the country during Miller’s debut season. There won’t be anything surprising about the Longhorns being dangerous this time.

“You combine all those players right there, that group of five, I think it gives us firepower, experience, depth, and most importantly, a fun group to work with because I don’t know if any of them are a finished product,” Miller said. “I just think all of them have another level they can get to and it’s up to our environment, our staff, to help them get there.”

MORE: Longhorns Among Finalists for 5-Star RB As Commitment Day Arrives

Miller no longer has a hastily assembled roster searching for answers. He has size, scorers, defenders and a group with room to improve.

Texas basketball isn’t sneaking into the national conversation anymore. The Longhorns are arriving with expectations - and a roster built to justify them.