Texas Basketball: 5 early NCAA Transfer Portal targets for 2020 offseason

Very similar to the narrative surrounding Harvard’s Aiken in the transfer market, to-be redshirt sophomore Southeastern Louisiana forward Tyron Brewer could be an absolute gem find that falls under the radar. The Texas basketball program does need more experienced forwards in the rotation, and Brewer could be a great fit.

Not only did Brewer see a big uptick in his role with Southeast Louisiana in the Southland Conference last season, he dramatically improved his per game stats and efficiency. In 31 games played (and with 28 starts) last season, Brewer averaged 14.9 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks. He did all that while shooting 47.9 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.

The shooting should marginally continue to improve for Brewer as he gets more playing experience at the college level. But he’s come a long way already since coming out of Meridian High School in Meridian, MS, during the 2018 recruiting cycle. He only had a handful of offers, including the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, UConn Huskies, and Southeast Louisiana.

It will be interesting to see if Brewer is able to get immediate eligibility out of the transfer portal since his next landing spot could present a dramatic change in his career path. The NCAA is likely to be more liberal in handing out immediate eligibility this offseason.

Nonetheless, if Texas can nab a player like Brewer with a 2.5 career block and steal rate roughly, true shooting of 54 percent, and .113 win shares per 40 minutes, they should go after it.