Ten former Texas men’s basketball players are set to be on NBA rosters when the league opens the 2026-27 regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The group includes Jarrett Allen with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mohamed Bamba and Jaxson Hayes with the Utah Jazz, Kevin Durant with the Houston Rockets, Tre Johnson with the Washington Wizards, Arthur Kaluma with the Los Angeles Lakers, Jayson Kent with the Portland Trail Blazers, Jericho Sims and Myles Turner with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Dailyn Swain with the Chicago Bulls.
Allen, a 2022 NBA All-Star, is entering his sixth full season in Cleveland and his 10th year in the league. Bamba, taken No. 6 in the 2018 NBA Draft, is beginning his first full season with Utah and his ninth season overall. Durant, whose résumé includes 16 NBA All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA nods, four scoring titles, two Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP awards in 2017 and 2018, and the league’s 2014 MVP trophy, is starting his second season in Houston and his 19th in the NBA.
Hayes, the No. 8 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, is set for his first season with the Jazz and his eighth in the league. Johnson, selected No. 6 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, starts his second season with Washington.
Kaluma will make his NBA rookie debut on a two-way contract with the Lakers. Kent, who appeared in five NBA regular-season games last year, begins his first full season with Portland on a two-way deal.
Sims is entering his second full season with Milwaukee and his sixth year in the NBA. Swain, the No. 15 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, begins his rookie season with the Bulls. Turner opens his second year with the Bucks and his 12th season in the league.
Beyond the 10 former Longhorns on active NBA rosters, Royal Ivey is an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets, Matt Hill is an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets, and Avery Bradley is the Vice President of Player Development for the Utah Jazz.
Second-year Texas head coach Sean Miller also has nine active players in the NBA entering the 2026-27 season: Deandre Ayton with the Washington Wizards, Aaron Gordon with the Denver Nuggets, Josh Green and Lauri Markkanen with the Utah Jazz, Bennedict Mathurin with the New Orleans Pelicans, T.J. McConnell with the Indiana Pacers, Zeke Nnaji with the Denver Nuggets, Dailyn Swain with the Chicago Bulls and Brandon Williams with the Golden State Warriors.
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