- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 414,258
- Reaction score
- 43
When asked about Texas guard Chendall Weaver during his introductory press conference March 25, new Texas basketball coach Sean Miller didn’t hide his admiration.
“I don't know what coach wouldn't be a fan of how he plays," said Miller. "He's so selfless with the way he impacts defense, offense. I thought he made a huge difference in the end of Texas’s season, when he started to play again."
Miller now hopes that Weaver makes a huge difference next season after the 6-foot-3 guard announced his intentions Saturday to return for his senior season. He joins fellow guards Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope as returning players for Miller, who took over for the fired Rodney Terry on March 24.
Weaver averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds on 50.5% shooting in 20.7 minutes a game this past season while playing 20 games. But his impact on the court can’t be measured by stats.
Weaver, who arrived in Austin after spending his freshman season in 2022-23 at UT-Arlington, plays with a verve and passion that ignites the crowd and energizes his teammates. He’s a defensive pest who often locks up on an opponent’s most dangerous perimeter player, and he’s one of the top rebounding guards in the nation based on a per-minute basis.
More: Sean Miller hire was right fit for Texas basketball's future. Here's why | Golden
Weaver will likely resume his role as a bolt of lightning off the bench, assuming Pope and Mark retain their starting roles. His decision gives Miller three veteran players in the backcourt rotation, but the new coaching staff still has some gaping holes to fill in the roster.
Expect Miller to pursue a true point guard either in the portal or on the high-school recruiting path to fill out his backcourt, and expect a big emphasis on the frontcourt in the coming weeks.
The Longhorns lose their top four forwards from last season in Arthur Kaluma, Jayson Kent, Ze’Rik Onyema and Kadin Shedrick, who all used up their collegiate eligibility. Wing Devon Pryor, a 6-7 sophomore, has been the lone Texas player to enter the portal this offseason. Together, those frontcourt players accounted for 21.4 of the Longhorns’ 35.7 rebounds per game as well as 33.1 of the 78.5 points.
So far, Miller has wrangled commitments from former Xavier forward Dailyn Swain and former Purdue forward Cam Heide in the portal. Swain, a 6-8, 220-pound incoming junior wing, played for Miller this past season at Xavier and averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists a game. Heide, a 6-7, 205-pound redshirt sophomore with two remaining years of eligibility, averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 36 games this season for a squad that reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
Nic Codie, a 6-8, 200-pound incoming sophomore, has also announced his decision to return to Texas.
Next year’s team will also include 6-9, 240-pound John Clark, a four-star forward from Houston and the lone signee in the Longhorns’ 2025 class. Incoming redshirt sophomore Malik Presley and incoming sophomore Jamie Vinson have yet to announce their plans for next season.
Freshman Tre Johnson, the team's leading scorer and the top scorer in the SEC next season, is expected to declare for the NBA draft. If he leaves and Texas holds onto Presley and Vinson, Miller will have six available scholarships for next season's roster.
Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Chendall Weaver: Guard returning for Texas coach Sean Miller
Continue reading...
“I don't know what coach wouldn't be a fan of how he plays," said Miller. "He's so selfless with the way he impacts defense, offense. I thought he made a huge difference in the end of Texas’s season, when he started to play again."
Miller now hopes that Weaver makes a huge difference next season after the 6-foot-3 guard announced his intentions Saturday to return for his senior season. He joins fellow guards Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope as returning players for Miller, who took over for the fired Rodney Terry on March 24.
Weaver averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds on 50.5% shooting in 20.7 minutes a game this past season while playing 20 games. But his impact on the court can’t be measured by stats.
Weaver, who arrived in Austin after spending his freshman season in 2022-23 at UT-Arlington, plays with a verve and passion that ignites the crowd and energizes his teammates. He’s a defensive pest who often locks up on an opponent’s most dangerous perimeter player, and he’s one of the top rebounding guards in the nation based on a per-minute basis.
You must be registered for see images attach
More: Sean Miller hire was right fit for Texas basketball's future. Here's why | Golden
Weaver will likely resume his role as a bolt of lightning off the bench, assuming Pope and Mark retain their starting roles. His decision gives Miller three veteran players in the backcourt rotation, but the new coaching staff still has some gaping holes to fill in the roster.
Expect Miller to pursue a true point guard either in the portal or on the high-school recruiting path to fill out his backcourt, and expect a big emphasis on the frontcourt in the coming weeks.
The Longhorns lose their top four forwards from last season in Arthur Kaluma, Jayson Kent, Ze’Rik Onyema and Kadin Shedrick, who all used up their collegiate eligibility. Wing Devon Pryor, a 6-7 sophomore, has been the lone Texas player to enter the portal this offseason. Together, those frontcourt players accounted for 21.4 of the Longhorns’ 35.7 rebounds per game as well as 33.1 of the 78.5 points.
So far, Miller has wrangled commitments from former Xavier forward Dailyn Swain and former Purdue forward Cam Heide in the portal. Swain, a 6-8, 220-pound incoming junior wing, played for Miller this past season at Xavier and averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists a game. Heide, a 6-7, 205-pound redshirt sophomore with two remaining years of eligibility, averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 36 games this season for a squad that reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
Nic Codie, a 6-8, 200-pound incoming sophomore, has also announced his decision to return to Texas.
Next year’s team will also include 6-9, 240-pound John Clark, a four-star forward from Houston and the lone signee in the Longhorns’ 2025 class. Incoming redshirt sophomore Malik Presley and incoming sophomore Jamie Vinson have yet to announce their plans for next season.
Freshman Tre Johnson, the team's leading scorer and the top scorer in the SEC next season, is expected to declare for the NBA draft. If he leaves and Texas holds onto Presley and Vinson, Miller will have six available scholarships for next season's roster.
Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Chendall Weaver: Guard returning for Texas coach Sean Miller
Continue reading...
