Sean Miller completely rebuilt the Longhorns via the nation's fourth-best transfer class and five-star talent, skyrocketing a new-look roster to No. 7 in the national rankings.
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball roster makeover is already earning national attention.
Despite replacing 11 players from last season's Sweet 16 team — including first-round 2026 NBA Draft choice Dailyn Swain — the Longhorns enter the summer as one of college basketball's highest-regarded programs.
In ESPN's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25, Texas climbed to No. 7 nationally, moving up two spots from the publication's previous rankings and cementing itself as one of the early favorites entering the 2026-27 season.
The Longhorns checked in only behind Florida, Duke, Illinois, UConn, Michigan and Tennessee.
That's a remarkable vote of confidence ... considering how much has changed in Austin.
Texas lost three of its top four scorers from last season, along with 11 players in total due to exhausted eligibility, the transfer portal, and the NBA Draft.
Rather than trying to patch holes, Sean Miller essentially rebuilt the roster from the ground up.
According to 247 Sports, the Longhorns came away with the fourth-best transfer portal class in the nation — the highest-rated portal haul of Miller's coaching career.
Texas' incoming transfer class is headlined by former TCU forward David Punch, Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson, Auburn forward Elyjah Freeman, Tennessee guard Amari Evans and Saint Mary's guard Mikey Lewis.
They also welcomed five freshmen while retaining one of the offseason's biggest pieces in center Matas Vokietaitis, who drew interest from multiple Division I programs before ultimately remaining in Austin.
Of all the newcomers, ESPN believes Punch could have the biggest immediate impact.
After averaging 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds at TCU last season, the versatile forward was labeled Texas' most impactful newcomer thanks to his physicality and defensive playmaking. ESPN projects Punch to start alongside Vokietaitis, Johnson, Freeman and highly touted freshman Austin Goosby.
Goosby is a 5-star prospect, the No. 18 overall player and the No. 4 combo guard in the 2026 class, according to 247 Sports. The Melissa, Texas, native chose the Longhorns despite having offers from SMU, UCLA, Miami and Duke.
Miller, however, believes this group offers more than just talent.
"I love the people and players we have," Miller recently said on the Aaron Torres Podcast. "And I think they've come here to be part of something bigger than their own goals."
That's exactly what Texas is banking on.
The Longhorns unquestionably have the talent to justify a preseason top-10 ranking. The challenge now is turning a roster filled with newcomers into a cohesive group capable of building on last season's unexpected Sweet 16 run.
