Texas basketball unexpectedly loses G Devin Askew to transfer portal

Just as it looked like one of the key returning players for head coach Chris Beard and the Texas basketball program for next season would be the rising junior defensive standout guard Devin Askew, the narrative shifted on the morning of April 19. Askew announced on April 19 that he is entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, becoming the second Texas guard to do so early this offseason.

The other former Longhorns guard to enter the transfer portal so far this offseason is the senior former blue-chip recruit Courtney Ramey.

Moreover, Askew only spent one year playing for Beard and the Longhorns before entering the transfer portal for the second time in his collegiate career to date. He initially transferred to Texas last offseason after also playing just one year with head coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC.

Askew was originally recruited as a touted four-star point guard out Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA, during the 2020 cycle. He committed to Kentucky in the fall of 2019 and enrolled in the school the following year.

Texas basketball loses G Devin Askew to the transfer portal after just one season with the program

Yet, there were some obvious struggles that Askew faced playing with a young Kentucky team during his freshman season in 2020-21. He had trouble finding his offensive game during his freshman season at Kentucky, albeit while playing solid perimeter defense the entire campaign.

His struggles at Kentucky looked to be a reason why he entered the transfer portal last offseason. And it also looked like Texas was going to be a place where he could start fresh and really work his way to become one of the better two-way guards in the Big 12 in the next couple of years.

But Askew will now be seeking out his third college program in three years. There is still the chance he returns to Texas as the transfer portal is a wild place in this day and age.

Since we don’t really know the reasoning, though, behind his transfer decision, it’s hard to tell how many motives he will have to return to the Forty Acres this offseason.

Texas does have some incoming guard depth to the program this offseason that can help replace the loss of Askew. Beard and the Longhorns signed the likes of five-star point guard Arterio Morris and four-star guard Rowan Brumbaugh with the 2022 recruiting class. Yet, there is still a good amount of potential guard depth departing the program that this staff needs to replace in the months ahead.

Last season in 34 games played with Texas (including three starts), Askew averaged 2.1 points per game, 0.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.1 blocks while shooting 40 percent from the field, 32 percent from beyond the arc, and 54.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Texas finished up last season with a record of 22-12 (10-8 Big 12) following their Round of 32 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers last month.