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Breaking: Texas lands hoops transfer David Punch

By Jeff Howe

· 4247 views

Texas has secured the commitment of transfer forward David Punch, addressing one of its most significant roster needs for the 2026-27 season. Punch went public with his commitment Sunday night, posting the news on Instagram.

A national top-100 recruit out of Harker Heights in the 2024 class, Punch joins the Longhorns after two seasons at TCU. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-7-inch, 245-pound Punch was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, averaging 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

Punch gives Texas a presence at the power forward spot it lacked during its run to the Sweet 16 in Sean Miller’s first season.

Along with his ability to keep the ball moving on offense, Punch should immediately help the Longhorns improve on the defensive end of the floor. Punch blocked 66 shots and recorded 45 steals in 34 games; Punch doubled Matas Vokietaitis’ team-leading 33 blocked shots this past season and only Dailyn Swain’s 59 steals topped Punch’s totals among Texas players.

The addition of Punch and the return of Vokietaitis give the Longhorns two tremendous frontcourt pieces for Miller’s second season. Currently, with Swain making himself eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, Texas has four starting spots penciled in for next season: Punch, Vokietaitis, Colorado transfer guard Isaiah Johnson and McDonald’s All-American guard Austin Goosby.

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    Sophomore

    Caden Kuykendall

    Supporters
    58 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

    No way to know that right now 

    He’s slightly ascending in mocks ahead of combine 

    The NBA is the dream, and he’s got legit shot to stay in

    Talked to NBA scout of a team that won’t draft him (not position of need) over the weekend … that franchise has him as late first rounder right now. 
     

    We shall see 

    I feel like if he came back for another year, he would be an automatic top 20 pick. Just cause this draft is so deep compared to next year.

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    • Redshirt

    Longhorn nation

    Supporters

    For the small forward position are we going after a big name or someone that can just play there role because of where we are from a NIL standpoint.

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    Gerry Hamilton

    Moderators
    • Moderators
    3 hours ago, Longhorn nation said:

    For the small forward position are we going after a big name or someone that can just play there role because of where we are from a NIL standpoint.

    Maybe be a combo forward type over small forward 

    Looking at different options for best fit and need 

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    817 Boxing B

    Supporters
    6 hours ago, TheContractor12 said:

    call your shot, Swain back? I think so. 

    I hope so. Bro would end up spending his 1st 2 years in the NBA being shipped back and forth from the end of somebody's bench to the D league and the whole time... he will be kicking himself in the ass because he could've been getting top notch NIL and chilling in Austin with an absolute SQUAD!

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    • Sophomore

    ClubWhatever

    Members

    Swain:  15% chance to return.  Drafted at any spot = gone.

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    pinkman_90

    Supporters
    35 minutes ago, 817 Boxing B said:

    I hope so. Bro would end up spending his 1st 2 years in the NBA being shipped back and forth from the end of somebody's bench to the D league and the whole time... he will be kicking himself in the ass because he could've been getting top notch NIL and chilling in Austin with an absolute SQUAD!

    Say he goes between picks 20-30, that’s somewhere between 2.5-3.2 million first year salary in NBA.  I don’t know what he’d be making at Texas but I’m guessing somewhere in that range for NIL.  So then how much can his draft stock actually improve if he came back?  I don’t think that much.  Max out in the mid-teens probably.  
     

    I am skeptical of when teams “guarantee” players they will pick them, but for Swain if thinks he’s locked in to the late first, it probably doesn’t make sense to come back.  

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    MarkInAustin

    Supporters

    The personal finance decisions for a 21 YO star athlete are not simple.

    First, it would be smart to delete his "wants" from the decision tree and concentrate on his "needs."  

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    Second, there is the valuation issue, which turns on net rather than gross numbers.  For example, income in Texas is worth much more than in states with significant income taxation. Cost of living in metro NYC or LA or SF or DC is a  six figure differential over having room and board provided in Austin. Offsetting endorsement deals in LA or NYC might be unlikely for most.

    ---------

    Third, there are longer term considerations. Residual benefits of a degree now vs. a degree later, or no degree at all, are measurable to an analyst and of greater or lesser meaning to a future pro depending on his long term name value; e.g., KD and VY have extraordinary long term name value that makes a degree have virtually no long term income value in comparison. 

    Weigh the depth of the current draft and one a year later against the likelihood of reaching a lucrative second contract a year earlier. 

    I think the chance of a career ending injury would not be weighed because it may have the same long term effect whether sustained under a lucrative NIL deal or under a first year professional contract - but insurance issues and CBA health care provisions may make weighing injury potential another variable.

    ----------

    Two and three are tricky issues for most, but standard fare for a financial advisor.

    The first issue is the most pressing: does the player NEED the most dollars today? Is his family comfortable or living paycheck to paycheck? If the current need is there the third issue, long term consequences, falls out of the matrix. Only net current value need be considered.

     

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    Gerry Hamilton

    Moderators
    • Moderators
    13 minutes ago, MarkInAustin said:

    The personal finance decisions for a 21 YO star athlete are not simple.

    First, it would be smart to delete his "wants" from the decision tree and concentrate on his "needs."  

    ----------

    Second, there is the valuation issue, which turns on net rather than gross numbers.  For example, income in Texas is worth much more than in states with significant income taxation. Cost of living in metro NYC or LA or SF or DC is a  six figure differential over having room and board provided in Austin. Offsetting endorsement deals in LA or NYC might be unlikely for most.

    ---------

    Third, there are longer term considerations. Residual benefits of a degree now vs. a degree later, or no degree at all, are measurable to an analyst and of greater or lesser meaning to a future pro depending on his long term name value; e.g., KD and VY have extraordinary long term name value that makes a degree have virtually no long term income value in comparison. 

    Weigh the depth of the current draft and one a year later against the likelihood of reaching a lucrative second contract a year earlier. 

    I think the chance of a career ending injury would not be weighed because it may have the same long term effect whether sustained under a lucrative NIL deal or under a first year professional contract - but insurance issues and CBA health care provisions may make weighing injury potential another variable.

    ----------

    Two and three are tricky issues for most, but standard fare for a financial advisor.

    The first issue is the most pressing: does the player NEED the most dollars today? Is his family comfortable or living paycheck to paycheck? If the current need is there the third issue, long term consequences, falls out of the matrix. Only net current value need be considered.

     

    The injury part is interesting. I've said a couple of times ... he had a non-contact knee injury scare around practice two or three this year. The initial reaction coming out of the building was they feared he could have season ending. It obviously wasn't, and was more of a scare. 

    He has one more year of college hoops, so around 3 mill left while also taking into account what injury could do to draft stock.

    If you go in first round, 6-7 mill guaranteed and likely 13-15 on first contract. 

     

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    • First Round Pick

    HookemChappy

    Supporters

    Who will be the Weaver type player on this team?

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    • Lifetime Longhorn

    Gerry Hamilton

    Moderators
    • Moderators
    5 minutes ago, HookemChappy said:

    Who will be the Weaver type player on this team?

    Not a knock on Weaver, but Texas wants a different type of player long term.

    Teams didn't guard Weaver on the offensive end in the NCAA Tournament. Texas can't have that and get where they want to ultimately go. 

    Texas has to have five players on the court that teams have to defend. 

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