Texas basketball coach Sean Miller picked up his fourth transfer portal commitment of the week with the addition of former Auburn forward Elyjah Freeman, per a Sunday report by On3.
Freeman, a 6-foot-8 wing, will presumably fill the gap left by the departure of Dailyn Swain, who declared for the NBA draft after an all-conference junior season. Freeman averaged 9.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes a game while starting 21 games this past season for Auburn. A rising junior, Freeman has two remaining years of eligibility.
As a freshman at Lincoln Memorial University in the 2024-25 season, Freeman earned the South Atlantic Conference freshman of the year award after averaging 18.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists a game.
Freeman joins former Tennessee guard Amari Evans, former TCU power forward David Punch and former Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson as Texas' portal commitments. Freeman’s arrival gives Miller and his staff some options, especially coming two days after the commitment of Evans. Both the 6-5, 220-pound Evans and Freeman can play at either small forward or shooting guards, which were positions of need for Texas entering the offseason.
Miller and Texas general manager Chris Ogden still have some work to do for a program that went 21-15 in Miller’s first season. The Longhorns lost seven of the eight players in their rotation during an NCAA Tournament run that ended with a 79-77 loss to Purdue in the Sweet 16. Guards Tramon Mark, Chendall Weaver and Jordan Pope used up their eligibility and Miller lost starting forward Cam Heide, reserve forward Nic Codie, reserve forward Declan Duru and reserve guard Simeon Wilcher to the portal as well as Swain to the NBA.
But a starting rotation is starting to take shape. Post Matas Vokietaitis announced his intentions to return last week and will team with Punch in a formidable front court. Johnson will likely start in the backcourt alongside 6-foot-5 McDonald's All-American Austin Goosby, the jewel of the Longhorns’ 2026 recruiting class. Evans could start either shooting guard or small forward but could also serve as a quality reserve, a role he performed at Tennessee. The Longhorns will likely sign a few more guards to add depth and outside shooting but are up to 11 scholarship players for next season.
A set of forwards in rising redshirt freshmen John Clark and Lewis Obiorah are expected back, since neither have yet announced any intentions to transfer. Incoming freshman Coleman Elkins will be another forward on next year’s roster.
Miller also will welcome two more freshmen in shooting guards Bo Ogden and Joe Sterling. Ogden, the son of Texas general manager Chris Ogden, recently earned the Central Texas boys player of the year award from the American-Statesman after leading Westlake High School to the state finals.