At this stage in the offseason, Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry are looking for one more essential piece to complete the frontcourt rotation on the anticipated roster for the 2024-25 season. Texas has already brought in a tremendous harvest from the NCAA Transfer Portal this spring, including several immediate impact players to fill out the guard and forward rotations.
Other portal options worth exploring for Texas basketball
Terry and the Longhorns staff are still looking for a talented low-post player to complete out their rotation as they prepare for their first season in the SEC in 2024-25. Texas needs a big guy to bolster up the frontcourt unit with the final scholarship place on the roster.
The Longhorns’ main target among big players in the portal late this spring is former New Mexico Lobos true freshman star power forward JT Toppin. Texas appears to be the leader for the reigning Mountain West Newcomer of the Year, with the Texas Tech Red Raiders still in contention in this portal recruitment.
With the Longhorns’ portal choices narrowing and the spring window closing a few weeks ago, Terry and his team must find a solution to fill out the frontcourt in the near future.
Where else may the Longhorns look for potential big-man possibilities in the portal late this spring? Here are two last-minute transfers that the Longhorns could seek through the portal.
Ven-Allen Lubin
One of the premier forwards currently in the transfer portal this offseason is Ven-Allen Lubin, who previously played for both Vanderbilt Commodores and Notre Dame Fighting Irish during his sophomore year. If Texas were to consider recruiting him later this spring, he could potentially make a significant impact.
Standing at 6 feet 8 inches and weighing 225 pounds, Lubin hails from Orlando, FL, and ranks as the 22nd forward in the portal according to the On3 Industry Ranking. With two years of eligibility left, this marks his second consecutive offseason in the transfer portal.
Lubin possesses a combination of length and versatility, excelling in scoring close to the basket as well as from mid-range. He’s also adept at rebounding and disrupting plays defensively, with the ability to guard multiple positions effectively. In the SEC last season, Lubin ranked among the top forwards in blocks, totaling 26 blocks and boasting a block percentage of 4.0.
There are notable connections between Lubin and the Texas Longhorns. Texas recently acquired another former Vanderbilt forward, sophomore Malik Presley, through the portal this spring. Additionally, Lubin was scouted by Texas during his high school recruitment as a four-star prospect from Orlando Christian Prep (FL) in the 2022 class.
Although there haven’t been reports specifically linking Texas to Lubin’s recruitment in the late spring portal period, considering the Longhorns’ positional needs and the existing connection with his former teammate Presley, Lubin could be a logical target for Texas to pursue hypothetically.
Berke Buyuktuncel
The most promising transfer option for the Longhorns among available big men in the late spring portal appears to be Berke Buyuktuncel, formerly of the UCLA Bruins and a true freshman power forward.
It seems that Coach Terry and his team have already shown interest in Buyuktuncel during this spring’s portal activity, hence the asterisk next to his name on the list.
According to reports from Texas Football’s Gerry Hamilton on May 17 (premium content), Texas is staying in touch with Buyuktuncel even after the early May closure of the spring portal window. The Longhorns are reportedly drawn to his skill set and potential as a versatile stretch forward, with multiple years of eligibility left to develop in the frontcourt.
Buyuktuncel demonstrates offensive prowess, capable of filling minutes as a stretch-five in smaller lineups or as a floor-spacing four while still contributing to rim protection and rebounding at a high level. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches, he showcases above-average ball-handling skills for his position and is expected to improve as a shooter and scorer in his sophomore year, compared to his freshman season at UCLA where he shot 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Several schools have expressed interest in Buyuktuncel during the spring portal period, including the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Kentucky Wildcats, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Texas, among others.
While Buyuktuncel has already visited Nebraska, visits to other interested schools such as Texas, Kentucky, and Iowa shouldn’t be discounted.
The outcome of this portal recruitment for Texas may depend on the efforts of other major conference schools in pursuing Buyuktuncel and whether the Longhorns can secure other targets like Toppin in the coming weeks.
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