OTF Premium Texas basketball 2026-27 season thread

[Bevohorns]

8 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

2026-27 Roster is up at Texassports.com

14 spots accounted for... 1 possibility remains

https://texaslonghorns.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

do u have an idea who the last player will be ? u keep hinting at it so is it wishful thinking or miller having to work some paper work out ?

[Gerry Hamilton]

Texas workout pics

https://www.instagram.com/p/DaTKGJuGugi/?img_index=8&igsh=ZmQzNjRyYnNxcWVu

[harveycmd]

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are universally considered the two greatest 1v1 basketball players in the history of the world. 

 

[LonghornFan4Ever]

 

[AusMOJO]

@Gerry Hamilton Any idea what you expect the starting 5 to look like?

[Gerry Hamilton]

11 hours ago, AusMOJO said:

@Gerry Hamilton Any idea what you expect the starting 5 to look like?

Texas feels like they have 6 starters right now.

Option 1:

PG/LG Isaiah Johnson, 6-2

CG Austin Goosby, 6-5.5

G/W Elyjah Freeman, 6-8

PF David Punch, 6-7

C Matas, 7-0

6th man - Mikey Lewis, 6-3

Option 2:

PG/LG Isaiah Johnson, 6-2

CG Mikey Lewis, 6-3

G/W Elyjah Freeman, 6-8

PF David Punch, 6-7

C Matas, 7-0

6th man - Austin Goosby, 6-5.5

[Gerry Hamilton]

Mikey Lewis' 31 vs Gonzaga

He's been terrific since reporting to Austin

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

Isaiah Johnson 28 and 5 assists vs. No. 2 Arizona 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

David Punch vs. Florida

22, 9 reb, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals 

 

[LonghornFan4Ever]

10 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

David Punch vs. Florida

22, 9 reb, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals 

 

This is good news for any fans that think Punch is too short to be an effective PF in the SEC.  He put up this stat line against arguably the best frontcourt in college basketball.  Now he's gets to play with a better C in the 7-foot Vokietaitis.  Those two regular season matchups between Texas and Florida will be fun to watch.  I put the Punch-Vokietaitis frontcourt duo up against any frontcourt duo in the country.

[Gerry Hamilton]

Just now, LonghornFan4Ever said:

This is good news for any fans that think Punch is too short to be an effective PF in the SEC.  He put up this stat line against arguably the best frontcourt in college basketball.  Now he's gets to play with a better C in the 7-foot Vokietaitis.  Those two regular season matchups between Texas and Florida will be fun to watch.  I put the Punch-Vokietaitis frontcourt duo up against any frontcourt duo in the country.

I agree with you. Any Punch talk being too short to be effective in the SEC is complete hogwash and lack of research. Collin Murray-Boyles at South Carolina/NBA 1st rounder is 6-7, 245. Punch has physicality and skill combo at his position, and plays both ends. 

He went for 22 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in two games vs. Budinga/Tiller at Kansas. 10, 8 and 2 blocks vs. Arizona frontline. The Big 12 had terrific bigs in the conference in 2025-26, on multiple teams. And Punch was having to log a lot of minutes playing against 5's. 

Punch averaged 13, 6, 2.3 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals in Big 12 play ... in what was a terrific conference. I would take that right now in SEC play in 2026-27, no questions asked. If he improves 4-5% from the FT line, that ppg jumps to 14.5'ish. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

[harveycmd]

Here's more kobe v shaq stuff for you @Gerry Hamilton. I don't remember the exact date, but it was something like 16 June 1996 that I read Jerry West was going to move heaven and earth to get Kobe. Source scoffed at the report that Jerry West said "Kobe would be the best player in the world some day." I was listening to OMD Enola Gay at the time when I read the report. Of course, that OMD song was about the day the US used the first atomic bomb in the history of the world.

[harveycmd]

Here's more great symmetry @Gerry Hamilton. 9 June 1985 was the date the Lakers defeated the Celtics in Boston Garden to win the 1985 title. 9 June 1996 was the date of the greatest draft workout in the history of the world at Inglewood YMCA. 

 

[THookem]

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

9 minutes ago, THookem said:

 

Spears and Black should be 5's right now, and top 3

[harveycmd]

@Gerry Hamilton Bookman reminds of you talking big about stuff they don't know. 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

17 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

@Gerry Hamilton Bookman reminds of you talking big about stuff they don't know. 

 

lol. You care about Kobe Bryant talk way more than I ever will

[harveycmd]

23 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

lol. You care about Kobe Bryant talk way more than I ever will

That's true. Don't think it means know more ball. 

Yes, Kobe Bryant is widely considered the greatest 22-year-old playoff player in NBA history. [1]

During the 2001 playoffs at age 22, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to a historic 15-1 championship run. He averaged 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. He also scored 48 and 45 points in back-to-back games against the Kings and Spurs. [1, 2, 3, 4]