Texas Basketball: There is ‘growing confidence’ that Tyrese Hunter returns
There are a couple of outstanding decisions from early NBA Draft entrants that Texas basketball and new head coach Rodney Terry are waiting on early this offseason. Freshman forward Dillon Mitchell and sophomore guard Tyrese Hunter both declared early for the 2023 NBA Draft. But only one of those two Texas players will be participating in the 2023 NBA Draft Combine (May 16-18).
The NBA announced the 78 players that will be participating in the 2023 NBA Combine on May 10. Mitchell is the only Longhorn that will be participating in the combine, which leaves out Hunter.
It’s also worth mentioning that Hunter isn’t participating in the 2023 G-League Elite Camp either. That will limit the opportunities he has to prove himself to NBA scouts throughout the draft scouting process this offseason.
I’m not saying that the news of Hunter not participating in the G-League Elite Camp and/or NBA Draft Combine is a sure sign that he will return to Texas next season. But it does bring up the thought that if Hunter wants to boost his draft stock for the NBA, one of the best options for him at this point might be returning to Texas for another year.
Texas basketball has more “confidence” in the return of G Tyrese Hunter for next season
The latest update that we’ve heard on the matter of the status of Hunter’s decision to return to college next season came courtesy of Inside Texas/On3’s Gerry Hamilton on May 9. Hamilton mentioned on IT’s YouTube Show “On Texas Football” this week that there is “growing confidence” that Hunter will return to college ahead of the 2023-24 season.
"“Look, I think the confidence has been growing that Hunter will be back. I have no other reason but to go along with that. And I’m not sitting here saying that Tyrese Hunter and Dillon Mitchell are going to hit the portal.”"
Hamilton also stated that IT is “covering all angles” on Mitchell and Hunter’s decision to potentially return to college for next season. On the portal piece of his statement on May 9, it sounds like while it is always a possibility that Hunter enters the portal, that doesn’t seem too likely if he does return to college.
We heard Hunter telling the Texas coaching staff in the first weeks of the offseason that if he did return to college for another season, he would be suiting up for Texas. And it sounds like he hasn’t given us many reasons to believe otherwise at this point.
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Hunter just finished up his first season at Texas after transferring in from Iowa State last offseason. In his first season at Texas, Hunter was mostly a starting two-guard next to senior point guard Marcus Carr. He averaged 10.3 points per game, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 0.8 steals in 38 games last season.