How Rodney Terry built his first roster as Texas Longhorns head men's basketball coach

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Entering his first full season as the Texas Longhorns men's head basketball coach, Rodney Terry not only recruited through the transfer portal but also in his own locker room.

In an interview with KXAN Sports Director Roger Wallace, Terry discussed how he approaches the transfer portal and how he and his staff were able to put together a roster with new and old faces heading into the 2023-24 season.

Starting with players from the Longhorns' Elite Eight run last season, Terry was able to get Tyrese Hunter and Dillon Mitchell to come back to the 40 Acres after they tested the NBA draft waters. Dylan Disu and Brock Cunningham are also returning for another season, giving the Longhorns solid continuity and experience from last year's squad.

"The portal has definitely changed the dynamic of recruiting," Terry said. "I tell our guys all the time, just like in life, you've got to adapt and adjust. As coaches, we really had to do that and embrace those changes. You have to enjoy the guys you have, the season you have, and I think it's all about fit."

Terry and his staff, with the addition of former Miami (Fla.) head coach Frank Haith, made a haul in the transfer portal this offseason. The Longhorns added one of the most coveted guards available in Max Abmas from Oral Roberts, big men Kadin Shedrick from Virginia and Ze'rik Onyema from UTEP, along with guards Chendall Weaver (UT Arlington) and IT Horton (Central Florida).

Terry called Abmas (pronounced ACE-muhs) "an incredible person off the court," and he's "excited to win at this level and compete on this stage." Abmas helped the Golden Eagles win the Summit League championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament and finish with a 30-5 record. Abmas finished No. 9 in Division I with 21.9 points per game.

"He's the total package," Terry said of Abmas. "He's going to be an exciting player to watch this season."

Just as teams can get good players from the portal, it works both ways. Freshman guard Arterio Morris decided to enter the portal and is now at Big 12 rival Kansas. Rowan Brumbaugh, who redshirted last season for Texas, is now at Georgetown. Terry didn't mention anyone specifically when talking about his philosophy with transfers, but said generally if a guy wants to go, they need to find a program that suits them better.

"If a young man isn't happy with where he's at, you have to wish him well and thank him for what he did for you that season and keep working with the guys you have on your team," Terry said.

Like the portal, recruiting players out of high school has hit a new evolution. With players now getting professional opportunities outside of the NBA, both in the United States and overseas, it's creating another wrinkle for coaches. Texas lost two prized recruits, Ron Holland and AJ Johnson, to the professional ranks. Holland, a 5-star recruit from Duncanville, signed with the G League Ignite and Johnson went down under to the NBL in Australia.

Texas was able to add Chris Johnson, who previously signed with Kansas, and Devon Pryor who plans to reclassify to the 2023 class and join the Longhorns. Pryor is a 6-foot-7 small forward out of the Houston area and originally committed to Louisiana State before he decided on Texas.

With such an eventful offseason, Terry said he's "living the dream," heading into his first season as the full-time head coach. He credits his faith in God for putting him in a position to take over the program he loves.

"I'm a firm believer in God, and God's going to put you right where you're supposed to be," Terry said. "He's got the master plan on where he really wants you and where you need to be. He put me in the right place at the right time, and I haven't looked back."