OTF Premium Dailyn Swain addresses his NBA future before Texas' First Four NCAA Tournament game

[Jeff Howe]

Dailyn Swain isn’t thinking about Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, against NC State being his last in a Texas uniform if he decides to enter the 2026 NBA Draft.

That’s what Swain said during a press conference at Dayton’s UD Arena on Monday, one day before the Longhorns and Wolfpack meet for the second time this season. The SEC Newcomer of the Year and a second-team All-SEC selection, Swain’s stock as a potential first-round pick has risen throughout a season in which he currently leads Texas (18-14) in points per game (17.7), rebounds per game (7.5), assists (104), steals (55) and minutes per game (32).

“I'm just focused on finishing the season as good as we can as a team, playing as hard as I can for my seniors and all the guys who won't be able to play anymore and trying to make a deep run for Coach (Sean) Miller in his first year here at Texas and letting the country know how good a coach he is,” Swain said. “That's the main thing, really.”

According to ESPN Research, the 6-foot-8-inch, 225-pound Swain is the only player from a major conference program (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC) who currently leads their team in five major statistical categories.

A finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, Swain is currently projected to go in the first round of the draft in Jeremy Woo’s pre-March Madness mock draft for ESPN.com. While writing that “evaluators are mixed on his upside, but it's the type of chance a team might take in this range,” Woo has the Minnesota Timberwolves selecting Swain with the No. 29 overall pick.

Sources have indicated to OTF that if Swain gets assurances from a team that he’ll be selected in the first round, he’s expected to forgo his final season of eligibility and declare for the draft.

With that said, it's not a forgone conclusion that Swain is gone.

Along with a likely significant NIL deal headed his way if he returns to the Forty Acres for his senior season, Swain, who doesn’t turn 21 until July 15, could significantly improve his draft position by waiting until 2027 to enter a draft that’s currently expected to be less top-heavy while lacking the depth of the 2026 class.

Whether Swain is at Texas or is on an NBA roster for the 2026-27 season, Sean Miller is proud of the growth he’s seen from Swain, who has evolved from a wiry 6-foot-7-inch, 176-pound, 18-year-old freshman at Xavier into a well-rounded forward with a legitimate future in the NBA.

“He's just gotten better. Same coach, same strength coach, structure — I think he's really bought in,” Miller said on Monday. “He listens, he learns. We've had amazing support from his mom and family. They allow us to coach Dailyn, hold him accountable and Dailyn has worked hard to develop his shot, develop his body. I think his ability to pass and handle the ball,  something that he had a good starting point on, he's really taken that to a very high level.

“There aren't too many players that play college basketball that had a better overall season than Dailyn did.”

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[Jeff Howe]

I would love for Dailyn Swain to be back on the Forty Acres next season.

But a first-round guarantee is a first-round guarantee. He has to go if he gets one.

[Jarveaux]

Will be pulling for our team & coach Miller & his staff tomorrow!  “Hookem “

[Alex Butler]

Run it back with an actual team around him that plays Miller’s style!!

[Bevohorns]

I see it hard that he gets a guaranteed yes from a team before the draft but he’s a first rounder next year for sure if he comes back imo. Miller will put a team around him next year that will make him look better 

Edited 18 hours ago by Bevohorns

[Jordan91]

If he is going to be a first round pick he should go. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

2 hours ago, Jordan91 said:

If he is going to be a first round pick he should go. 

Absolutely

[Rick]

How would what he would earn as a late first-rounder compare to his likely NIL package?

[Gerry Hamilton]

37 minutes ago, Rick said:

How would what he would earn as a late first-rounder compare to his likely NIL package?

1st rounder is guaranteed four year contract and living out his dream. 

Say he’s picked 26th overall. Guaranteed $12 million, at least. 

 

 

[ArizonaLonghorn]

48 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

1st rounder is guaranteed four year contract and living out his dream. 

Say he’s picked 26th overall. Guaranteed $12 million, at least. 

Are you sure about this?  The sites I looked at said the first two years are guaranteed and the last two years are team options.

26th pick would be guaranteed around $6 million for the first two years.

[Gerry Hamilton]

6 minutes ago, ArizonaLonghorn said:

Are you sure about this?  The sites I looked at said the first two years are guaranteed and the last two years are team options.

26th pick would be guaranteed around $6 million for the first two years.

Technically yes. But that doesn't happen a high-percentage of the time. Over 80% third and fourth year are picked up. 

[Jordan91]

I would love to have him back. That is literally everybody’s dream though. Anybody who has picked up a ball wants to play in the NBA. First round means you are in there at least a few years. I would hate to see him come back and get hurt. He certainly has things he needs to work on, but he can do that in the league. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

Just now, Jordan91 said:

I would love to have him back. That is literally everybody’s dream though. Anybody who has picked up a ball wants to play in the NBA. First round means you are in there at least a few years. I would hate to see him come back and get hurt. He certainly has things he needs to work on, but he can do that in the league. 

That's where I come out. 

I hope he goes pro if he's a first rounder. It's a good thing for Miller and Texas. Kids No. 1 goal is to be an NBA player, and first round pick. 

I expect him to go pro if he's first rounder. 

[Jordan91]

Just now, Gerry Hamilton said:

That's where I come out. 

I hope he goes pro if he's a first rounder. It's a good thing for Miller and Texas. Kids No. 1 goal is to be an NBA player, and first round pick. 

I expect him to go pro if he's first rounder. 

Coach Miller raves about his family. He seems to be a great kid, who has worked hard. I will be happily watching to see his name called if he decides to go that direction. 

[Neil Leininger]

Him returning would likely mean the difference between Texas being a tournament team to a SS+ team.

[Bevoguy_248]

We need him back man if fringe guy he needs to come back