Texas Basketball: 3 key players that should return for 2022-23 season

Following their first NCAA Tournament win since 2014, the Texas basketball program enters the 2022 offseason with some confidence and momentum under the direction of head coach Chris Beard. The six-seed (East Region) Texas saw their season end after a tough 10-point loss in the Round of 32 on the night of March 20 at the hands of the three-seed Purdue Boilermakers.

Yet, the Longhorns posed a pretty tough competitor to knock out of the NCAA Tournament for the Boilermakers last weekend in the Round of 32. There is plenty of reason to believe that Beard and the Longhorns will be a postseason contender again next season seeing the way they competed in the NCAA Tournament to round out the 2021-22 campaign.

Moreover, Texas got their first NCAA Tournament win since 2014 thanks to a triumph over the 11-seed Virginia Tech Hokies in the Round of 64 back on March 18. And Texas nearly made it through to the Sweet 16 if not for Purdue pulling away late last weekend in the Round of 32.

Which key Texas basketball players could return in 2022-23?

The loss to Purdue gave Texas a record of 22-12 (10-8 Big 12) to close out the 2021-22 season.

This season should largely be considered a success for the Longhorns given how they competed in the NCAA Tournament. There were definitely some ups and downs during the regular season and in the Big 12 Tournament. But Beard essentially did what he needed to make strides in the postseason for this program.

However, with the offseason having officially arrived for the Longhorns this week, it will be interesting to see how the roster will shape up for the 2022-23 season. While it is going to take a while to get the complete picture of what the roster looks like next season, we should know who’s returning and who’s not before too long.

With that in mind, here’s a look into three key Longhorns players that should return for the 2022-23 season.