Are there any other frontcourt gateway alternatives for Texas to consider in the late spring outside New Mexico transfer PF JT Toppin?
Ven-Allen Lubin
Ven-Allen Lubin, a former Vanderbilt Commodore and Notre Dame Fighting Irish sophomore, is one of the top players available in the portal at this time in the offseason and could potentially be an impact player if Texas pursues him late this spring.
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Orlando, FL is ranked No. 22 in the On3 Industry Ranking. He has two years of eligibility left and is entering the portal for the second time in as many offseasons.
Lubin is a long and versatile forward who can score both at the rim and from the midrange. He’s also an excellent rebounder and a disruptive defender who can defend both the three and the four positions.
Last season, Lubin had 26 blocks and a block percentage of 4.0, placing him among the top ten SEC forwards.
Lubin and the Longhorns have a few links that are worth highlighting. Texas has already signed one former Vanderbilt forward from the portal this spring, sophomore Malik Presley. Texas also scouted Lubin, a four-star talent from Orlando Christian Prep (FL) in the 2022 class.
I haven’t seen any news citing Texas as one of the institutions pursuing Lubin’s services in the portal since late spring. However, given Texas’ positional need and his former teammate Presley’s link to Vanderbilt, he could be a viable portal target.
Berke Buyuktuncel
Berke Buyuktuncel, a former UCLA Bruins true freshman power forward, is likely the Longhorns’ most feasible transfer target among the big players available in the portal late this spring.
Terry and staff appear to have tested Buyuktuncel in the portal this spring, as indicated by the asterisk next to his name on this list.
Gerry Hamilton of Texas Football says on May 17 (premium content) that Texas “remains in contact” with Buyuktuncel, a few weeks after the spring portal window closed in early May. Texas reportedly loves the “skill set and upside” that the UCLA transfer brings to the table as a strong stretch forward with multiple years of eligibility to grow in the frontcourt.
Buyuktuncel is a gifted offensive player who can play minutes as a stretch-five in a small ball lineup or as a floor-spacing four while still protecting the rim and rebounding well. He is an above-average ball-handler for a 6-foot-9 forward, and he is expected to improve his shooting and scoring consistency in his second season compared to his freshman year at UCLA, when he shot 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from deep.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Kentucky Wildcats, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Texas, among others, have already expressed interest in Buyuktuncel through the gateway this spring.
Buyuktuncel made an official visit to Nebraska earlier this week. Visits to other colleges involved in this portal recruitment, such as Texas, Kentucky, and Iowa, should not be overlooked.
The effort made by other large conference institutions to Buyuktuncel may be the deciding factor in Texas’ portal recruitment. It also concerns whether the Longhorns can complete the transaction with Toppin in the portal in the coming weeks.
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