Texas basketball projected 2023-2024 starting lineup
Texas basketball starting wing: Ithiel Horton
Terry and the Longhorns wanted a versatile guard with length and proven experience to help round out the backcourt/wing rotation heading into next season. And that’s what Texas is getting in the former UCF transfer shooting guard Horton.
The 6-foot-5 and 200-pound Horton played a little more than half his minutes in the second half of last season at UCF at the three, with the rest coming at the two. Given his length, proven experience, and switchability, it makes sense to slot Horton at the three.
Texas’ next best option to start at the three is probably Cunningham. However, Horton is a more versatile player and a better scorer than Cunningham.
Texas hoops fans can expect Horton to be an efficient off-ball scorer, a high-level rebounder, a switchable perimeter and wing defender, and a threat to score in transition. Horton is a career 37.5 percent three-point shooter with well over 200 three-point field goals.
He gives the Longhorns another capable shooting threat from deep and the mid-range around the primary ball-handlers, Abmas and Hunter.
Horton was also a surprisingly adept rebounder playing at the two and the three last season for the Knights, averaging nearly four boards per game. He also ranked among the top 10 guards in the AAC last season in second-chance points and fastbreak points per game (per Synergy), showing his ability to win battles on the glass and get out and run in transition.
Lastly, Horton was underrated for how disruptive of an on-ball defender he was at UCF last season. Horton averaged 1.5 steals per game, leading to a stellar 2.7 steal percentage that ranked in the top five among players at his position in the ACC last season.
Horton’s length is a problem on the defensive end for guards and smaller wings. He can get in passing lanes, disrupt shots, and draw turnovers to help push the ball and get easy points in transition.
A good way to describe Horton’s potential impact on this team is that he will do a little of things well on both ends of the floor, but he’s not elite in any particular area of his game.