Grading every portal addition for Texas so far this spring

Julian Larry, G

The second of the former Indiana State immediate impact transfers Terry landed this spring is redshirt junior guard Julian Larry. The 2023-24 All-MVC Third-Team guard returns to his home state to play out the final year of his collegiate eligibility.

Larry gives the Longhorns a well-rounded guard who did a little bit of everything well on both ends of the floor for Indiana State. He's a consistent and disruptive force on the defensive end of the floor. Larry has good length (at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds) and anticipates ball movement from opposing offenses, jumping in passing lanes to get out to run in transition.

Texas ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 last season in backcourt defensive rating. Adding a two-time MVC All-Defensive Team selection who has a career defensive box plus/minus of 2.0 immediately upgrades Texas's perimeter defense and disruptiveness from the guard position.

The Frisco, TX, native also gives Texas another capable facilitator and initiator who can start or give them quality minutes as a sixth or seventh man coming off the bench.

Grade: B+

Tramon Mark, G

The best pure bucket-getter the Longhorns are getting from this portal haul this cycle is former Arkansas Razorbacks and Houston Cougars redshirt junior shooting guard Tramon Mark. He is the definition of a high-octane volume scorer.

Mark was the leading scorer on an Arkansas squad last season that ranked sixth in the SEC in points per game (77.8). He was also the most efficient shooter among the regular starters for Arkansas. Mark scored over 16 points per game last season while shooting 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from deep, and 80 percent from the stripe.

Texas needed to get more lengthy scoring guards and wings to diversify its offensive looks entering next season. Terry has upgraded the scoring options and length in the backcourt and wing rotations, plus a little bit more, with the additions of elite scorers like incoming freshman Tre Johnson, Mark, and Pope from the transfer portal.

Grade: A

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