Texas adds experienced Indiana St F transfer Jayson Kent

Texas basketball landed its first commitment from the NCAA Transfer Portal on April 14, former Indiana State Sycamores redshirt junior forward Jayson Kent.

On3 first reported the commitment of Kent to head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns via the transfer portal this weekend. Kent committed to the Longhorns while on campus in Austin for an official visit on April 13 and 14.

Texas basketball gets the portal cycle started with a pledge from Indiana State transfer Jayson Kent

Kent is a big get from the portal for Terry and the Longhorns early this offseason. The 6-foot-7 and 185-pound wing/forward helped Indiana State secure their first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in over two decades (since 2000).

Last season, Kent averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks, en route to earning All-MVC Second-Team honors. He was also named to the MVC All-Defense Team in 2023-24.

Kent was a full-time starter for the first time in his career for Indiana State last season. He started 37 of the 38 games he played, while averaging a career-high 30.3 minutes per game.

Before playing the last two seasons at Indiana State, Kent spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Bradley. He started 19 games and played in just over 50 during his two seasons at Bradley, also playing in the MVC.

Kent has one year of eligibility remaining after spending four seasons at Bradley and then Indiana State. He joins Texas as one of the most experienced forwards in Terry's projected rotation for the 2024-25 season in the SEC.

Kent brings much-needed experience and outside shooting

Texas is losing some of its top scorers and most experienced players from last season, including senior big man Dylan Disu and senior guard Max Abmas. Adding Kent helps Texas replace some of that lost scoring depth and proven experience in the forward rotation.

Kent also helps to replace some of the outside shooting threats Texas loses due to exhausted eligibility this offseason. He shot 37 percent from deep at Indiana State last season on over two attempts per game.

Since Texas is losing some of its top three-point shooters from last year's squad, including senior guard Max Abmas and senior forward Brock Cunningham, landing Kent will help alleviate some of that gap on the offensive end of the floor.

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