Jordan Pope's kind words aren't enough to soften the blow of his new team

It was pretty much guaranteed that Texas point guard Jordan Pope wouldn't be returning for another season with the Longhorns.

With a full roster and no scholarships available, Texas Longhorns men's basketball coach Sean Miller simply wouldn't have room to bring Pope back into the program.

So, when the five-in-five ruling came down, giving college athletes from the recruiting class of 2022 another year of eligibility, people could have confidently guessed that Pope would end up transferring to another program if he chose to continue his collegiate career.

On Monday, Aug. 17, Pope announced that he was doing just that, sharing a heartfelt message with Longhorn Nation for his time spent on the 40 Acres while simultaneously confirming that he would continue playing college basketball "elsewhere."

It was a nice sentiment, touching even, but it did nothing to prepare Texas fans for where that "elsewhere" would be...

Just an hour or so after Pope posted the announcement on his Instagram story, news broke that he was transferring to play for... none other than... the Texas A&M Aggies.

Jordan Pope transferring to Texas A&M is the highest treason

THE AGGIES?! Come on, Pope.

How can someone go from writing, "UT is a special place and will always be home... I'll always consider myself a Longhorn. Hook'Em," to transferring to Texas's biggest and most hated rival?

Of course, Pope expressed that he would have loved to play his final season with the Horns, but highlighted the fact that Miller's roster was already full by the time the court decision was announced.

However, he could have transferred to any number of programs, even another SEC program, and it wouldn't sting as much as seeing a former Longhorn suit up in... maroon.

For example, former Texas guard Chendall Weaver found himself in the exact same situation: an extra year of eligibility but a full Longhorn roster. So, he took his talents to the Houston Cougars. He even stayed in state, but he didn't go anywhere near a rival of the Horns.

Heck, Pope started his college career with the Oregon State Beavers, and I, as a University of Oregon alum but a childhood Texas Longhorn, would have preferred for him to go back to OSU over Texas A&M.

Also read: Texas fans fall back in love with Jordan Pope as Horns upset Gonzaga to move to Sweet 16

Something just doesn't sit right with a program's former player transferring to a rival, even if the team's roster couldn't have fit him in anyway. It's like Parker Livingstone chasing NIL money, which he had absolutely every right to do, but choosing to play for the Oklahoma Sooners of all teams.

Now, the Longhorns will face Pope not just once, but twice in the regular season (Feb. 16/17 and March 6). Not to mention that they could easily cross paths for a third time in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament!

This is a betrayal of the highest degree, and it will take time (and maybe a couple of wins over the Aggies) to smooth over.

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