Dailyn Swain is making serious noise in the SEC - and now, the rest of the country is taking notice.
The Texas small forward has been named to the midseason top 10 watchlist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, one of college basketball’s most prestigious individual honors. It’s a nod reserved for the elite wings in the game, and Swain’s name is right there alongside some of the best in the nation.
Here’s the full list of 2026 Julius Erving Award candidates:
- Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
- AJ Dybantsa, BYU
- Thomas Haugh, Florida
- Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
- Ryan Conwell, Louisville
- Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
- Coen Carr, Michigan State
- Dailyn Swain, Texas
- Nate Ament, Tennessee
- Chad Baker-Mazara, USC
Swain’s inclusion isn’t just a tip of the cap - it’s a reflection of the impact he’s had since arriving in Austin. After following head coach Sean Miller from Xavier to Texas in 2025, Swain has quickly become the engine of a Longhorns team that’s taken a noticeable step forward this season. The full transformation might still be in progress, but the improvement is real - and Swain’s fingerprints are all over it.
Let’s talk numbers, because they tell a pretty compelling story. On the season, Swain is averaging 17.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting a scorching 57.7% from the field. That’s already an impressive stat line for a small forward, but it gets even more eye-popping when you zero in on his performance in SEC play.
Heading into the matchup against South Carolina, Swain had been torching conference opponents to the tune of 25.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, with a jaw-dropping 64.9% shooting percentage. That’s not just good - that’s dominant. He’s been efficient, aggressive, and smart with his shot selection, all while continuing to be a force on the boards and a pest on defense.
What’s made Swain so effective isn’t just the raw production - it’s the consistency. Night in and night out, he’s giving Texas a reliable scoring option who can also facilitate and defend. He’s not forcing shots, he’s letting the game come to him, and he’s punishing teams that give him any daylight.
With eight regular-season games left, the big question is whether Swain can sustain this level of play down the stretch. If he does, he won’t just remain in the Julius Erving Award conversation - he’ll be one of the frontrunners.
For now, Longhorns fans have every reason to be fired up. Dailyn Swain is turning heads, and if he keeps this up, he might just turn Texas into a serious postseason threat.