Texas officially in the running for 'swiss army knife' transfer portal forward

The transfer portal officially opened on Tuesday, and aside from attacking the point guard position, Sean Miller and Co. have been keeping an eye on the power forward spot. Though the Longhorns seem to be "okay" at that position going forward, Texas could be looking to add another experienced player there in case youngsters Declan Duru Jr. and John Clark aren't ready to contribute in 2026.

TCU power forward David Punch has not only been on the Longhorns' radar since entering the portal, but he's also someone that the coaching staff reportedly reached out to fairly early in the process.

Versatility is his middle name

The 6'7", 245-pound forward did a little bit of everything for the Horned Frogs in 2025/2026, showing off his above-average defensive skills in the paint while also providing a spark on offense for TCU in their 2026 NCAA Tournament run this year. He was absolutely dominant on the glass for the Horned Frogs in their upset win over Ohio State in March.

Punch averaged 14.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2 APG, 1.9 BPG, and 1.3 SPG in 2026/2026 while shooting 50.3% from the field.

Despite being somewhat undersized at "only" 6'7", Punch's above-average strength and technical skills allow him to push around opposing power forwards and centers much larger than him in the paint. When you combine his motor with his versatility as a player, it equals an incredibly effective weapon who can be productive in multiple areas of the court.

If the Longhorns can find a way to land the local product (Harker Heights, TX), he'd provide Texas with a complete player who'd be in the running to start immediately at power forward next season. Unless Nic Codie takes an astronomical jump in the offseason, it would be hard to see him beat out Punch for a spot in the starting frontcourt alongside Matas Vokietaitis.

Stay tuned as we keep everyone up to date with all of the latest news and notes from the 2026 Transfer Portal.