Disu’s return gives frontcourt a big boost
Forward’s decision to come back for 5th year represents a major win for Terry’s program
AUSTIN — The injury came at the worst possible time, both for Texas and its dawning frontcourt star.
To his credit, Dylan Disu stayed engaged while stuck on the sideline in a walking boot during the Longhorns’ Elite Eight tug of war against Miami last month. But the intense longing was etched all over the senior forward’s face that night in Kansas City, Mo. — he didn’t want to go out like this, an onlooker to his gutsy team’s demise. After that 88-81 loss to the Hurricanes on March 26, Disu said he wasn’t going to rush headfirst into a rash decision. The Pflugerville native and former Vanderbilt Commodore was going to take a few weeks, at least, to weigh whether to declare for the 2023 NBA draft or exercise his final year of collegiate eligibility.
On Sunday, Disu finally reached a decision. “The show goes on!” he announced across several social media platforms that afternoon.
That marked the first major offseason win for first-year head coach Rodney Terry, who was officially introduced as Chris Beard’s successor two days after Texas’ season ended. A few hours later, Virginia center Kadin Shedrick committed to the Longhorns.
Signing the 6-foot-11 Shedrick out of the portal to pair with 6-9 Disu and incoming five-star freshman forward Ron Holland (6-foot-8, 200 pounds) in the frontcourt should assuage some concerns about Terry’s hiring after a few quiet weeks. Texas is still trying to close the deal with several other priority transfer targets, most notably Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas, and
there’s an internal belief that guard Tyrese Hunter could withdraw from the NBA draft and return for his junior season.
But with so much still unsettled roster-wise, Disu returning for Year 5 is so far the most important development of the offseason for Texas.
The big man was on the greatest roll of his college career prior to suffering a left foot bone bruise in Texas’ 71-66 win over Penn State in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Through five postseason games — three in the Big 12 tournament, two in the NCAAS — Disu, averaged 17.8 points on 72.2 percent shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks.
“All season long he has given us incredible rim protection in terms of shot blocking,” Terry said March 11 after Disu was named the most outstanding player of the Big 12 tournament. “He’s one of the top shot blockers in this league, and he’s doing some of the dirty work, taking some charges as well. But his offensive game over the course of the Big 12 play has gotten better and better, and obviously having a presence in the paint has created a lot of scoring opportunities for our guards as well.”
Disu is a legitimate three-level scorer with nimble feet and some of the softest touch you’ll ever see from a big. His
feathery push shot shot became the talk of the NCAA tournament, and his growing ability to command double teams contributed to the ideal spacing Texas often enjoyed in March.
“I don’t know who the best team we played all year is, but I do know that we’ve never played against a big man with that type of touch,” Penn State guard Seth Lundy said Disu dissected the Nittany Lions’ defense with 28 points on 70 percent shooting. “I don’t remember him missing not one floater. He would do it
from 10 feet, 15 feet, 5 feet. He made it every single time.”
The addition of Shedrick should also take a considerable amount of pressure off Disu on the defensive end. He can fit into a variety of lineups, either as a floor-spacing and rim-protecting center or a bigger-bodied four alongside the taller Virginia import.
Terry still needs to round out this roster, particularly in the backcourt.
As of Monday, Texas had six scholarship players confirmed for the 2023-24 season: Disu,
Shedrick, Holland, graduate forward Brock Cunningham, sophomore wing Alex Anemekwe and redshirt sophomore guard Gavin Perryman.
But if Texas can land Abmas and a few other veterans, and if Disu can pick up where he left off prior to that ill-timed foot injury, the reloaded Longhorns should be in good position to compete in a loaded conference that will add Houston, Cincinnati, BYU and Central Florida this year.