4 early-offseason portal targets Texas has contacted

Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry are set to lose four players due to exhausted eligibility this offseason. Texas loses senior big man Dylan Disu, senior guard Max Abmas, senior forward Brock Cunningham, and senior wing Ithiel Horton among the key contributors from last season's squad.

Who has Texas basketball communicated with in the transfer portal in the spring window?

There's also a chance that Terry and the Longhorns lose sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell and junior guard Tyrese Hunter this offseason. Mitchell could declare for the 2024 NBA Draft after he returned to Texas for his sophomore campaign last season.

Hunter could also either enter the 2024 NBA Draft or enter the transfer portal this offseason, depending on what the Longhorns' plans are for the guard position entering the 2024-25 campaign.

Some of the key players the Longhorns are expected to return next season are senior center Kadin Shedrick, sophomore guard Chendall Weaver, and freshman guard Chris Johnson, among a couple of others. Terry and staff also signed a few elite recruits in the 2024 class, namely five-star shooting guards Tre Johnson and Cam Scott.

But the rest of the rotation must be filled out with some quality impact players from the portal. This will be a critical offseason for Terry and the Longhorns in the portal to form this roster to be a contender in the SEC next year.

Here are four transfers the Longhorns have already contacted in the portal early this offseason.

https://www.on3.com/teams/texas-longhorns/news/the-current-portal-picture-for-texas/

Xavier Amos, F

Assuming Texas does lose Mitchell to the NBA Draft this offseason, the depth in the forward rotation will be thin in the projected lineup for next season. Texas has the potential of losing four scholarship forwards this offseason, including sophomore Alex Anamekwe who entered the portal earlier this month.

One of the forwards the Longhorns have reportedly (per multiple sources) targeted in the transfer portal early this offseason is former Northern Illinois Huskies sophomore forward Xavier Amos. Northern Illinois' leading rebounder and third-leading scorer from last season is a proven scorer from inside the arc and a good rebounder and defender.

Amos is one of the most proven and versatile forwards available in the transfer portal right now. The 6-foot-8 and 210-pound forward can help a Texas team that ranked among the bottom five teams in the Big 12 in rebounding percentage in the season that was.

He could also help add some floor spacing to the forward rotation with the Longhorns losing multiple deep shooting threats this offseason (i.e. Disu, Horton, and Cunningham).

"They like my versatility and think I fit in with how they like for their forwards to move and do different things. With them, it is a lot about development. They see a high upside with me, they would put the ball in my hands and go make plays."

Amos told On3 that he likes how his game fits in Terry's system and how he thinks Texas can develop him for a couple of years remaining for his eligibility.

Some of the other schools that have contacted Amos in the portal early this offseason are the Virginia Cavaliers, Illinois Fighting Illini, and Xavier Musketeers, among others.