Jordan Pope may not be headed back to Texas after all, but his next stop could still keep him right in the middle of SEC traffic.
After spending the past two seasons with the Longhorns, the guard is trending toward Texas A&M, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field 68. That would close the door on a possible return to Austin, where Texas simply doesn’t have a roster spot available for him.
Pope was around the program in July while recovering from foot surgery, with Texas Longhorns on SI reporting that he had been on campus at the team facility as he waited on the 2022 eligibility court ruling. Even with that connection, the Longhorns’ roster crunch left no room for him once the 15-man group was assembled late in the offseason.
The situation is a familiar one for Texas fans who had hoped to see one of the few returning pieces stick around. This upcoming season, the Longhorns have only four returners on the roster and 11 newcomers as Sean Miller enters his second year as head coach.
Texas A&M, meanwhile, would give Pope a landing spot that already has some strong Texas ties. If he chooses the Aggies, he’d join a roster that already includes former Longhorns reserve forward Preston Clark and returning big man Jamie Vinson, both of whom were teammates with Pope during the 2024-25 season.
The connections don’t stop on the court. Texas A&M’s staff also includes former Texas assistant coach Frank Haith, former Texas strength and conditioning coach Darby Rich and former Texas video intern Edward Zeng.
Pope wasn’t exactly a stranger to this kind of choice before. When he left Oregon State for the transfer portal two years ago, Texas and Texas A&M were the final two options on his list.
Miller, for his part, made it clear last month that he still holds Pope, Chendall Weaver and Tramon Mark in high regard, even if the roster math no longer works in Texas’ favor.
"I want them to do well. They gave us everything that they had," Miller said.
"They graduated from this university. Jordan graduated this summer.
Chendall graduated in the spring. They poured their heart out, went through a coaching change, and both Chendall Weaver and Jordan Pope, and ditto for Tramon Mark, I look at those three guys as when we talk about creating momentum for the future.
All three of those guys had a lot to do with creating that momentum for us moving forward, and I'm forever grateful. I think we all are.
They're always welcome back, and if they get an opportunity to have a fifth year, and that's what they want to pursue, then I want them to do really well."
If Pope does wind up in College Station, he’ll still see Texas plenty soon enough. The Longhorns and Aggies are set to meet twice in SEC play on Feb. 16 and March 6.
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