Texas adds wing depth with Vanderbilt transfer Malik Presley

Per On3's Joe Tipton, former Vanderbilt Commodores true freshman small forward transfer Malik Presley has committed to Texas basketball on April 29.

Presley is the fourth commitment head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns have gotten from the transfer portal this spring. He transferred from Vanderbilt a couple of weeks ago after the news was announced that the Commodores fired head coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Texas basketball lands Vanderbilt wing transfer Malik Presley

Terry is bringing the San Marcos, TX, native Presley back to his home state after he played one season with Vanderbilt. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-6 and 200-pound wing was recruited by Terry and the Longhorns staff out of high school. Texas was one of Presley's top three schools before he committed to Vanderbilt in April 2023.

Terry and staff lost its two lengthiest wings to from last season due to exhausted eligibility that played regular minutes at the three. More depth at the three and four was lost to the transfer portal this offseason, including sophomore forwards Dillon Mitchell and Alex Anamekwe.

To rebuild that depth in the wing rotation this offseason, Terry has added multiple lengthy guards and a wing from the portal during the spring window, including former Arkansas redshirt senior guard Tramon Mark and Indiana State redshirt senior forward Jayson Kent.

During his true freshman campaign at Vanderbilt, Presley was a reserve wing who started five games and appeared in 25 (averaging 11.8 minutes per game). He averaged 2.2 points per game, 1.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.3 steals while shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 12.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 46.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Presley played most of his minutes at the three last season (per Evan Miya).

I like the upside Presley brings as a slasher on the wing. He's got a lot of bounce to his game, allowing him to get a step on opposing defenders before exploding to the rim and finishing through contact.

Most of Presley's buckets came around the basket. Nearly 60 percent of his field goal attempts came within six-feet of the basket (in the paint or closer), ranking second among Vanderbilt guards and wings last season.

Presley's long stride and verticality can be put to good use in Terry's system, which emphasizes free-flowing basketball and pushing the pace in transition. It felt like Presley's skill set and athletic traits were miscast in a slower offensive system at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt ranked 13 of 14 SEC teams in fastbreak points last season (7.0).

Over 16 percent of Presley's field goal attempts last season came in transition, which led all Vanderbilt players.

On the defensive end of the floor, Presley adds valuable length and positive athletic traits to the Longhorns' wing rotation. Texas's wing defending was spotty last season, partly due to lacking size and wingspan among their most utilized players at the three (i.e., the 6-foot-3 Chendall Weaver and 6-foot-4 Ithiel Horton).

Presley is an athletic wing with some two-way upside over the long term for Terry and staff. In the short term, Presley can play limited minutes at the three or the four in a smaller lineup this upcoming season in the SEC.

He's got the length and verticality to contest rebounds on both ends, playing at the three or the four.

Texas has added multiple immediate impact transfers to bolster the roster for 2024-25

The Longhorns have been very busy recruiting in the transfer portal, adding some of the most highly-sought after impact players available this spring. Presley joins a portal class that includes four immediate impact transfers rated highly in the 247Sports Composite and On3 transfer rankings.

Texas's 2024 transfer portal class ranks 11th nationally in the 247Sports Composite and fifth in the SEC.

Other Texas basketball stories on Hook'em Headlines