Matas Vokietaitis to return to Texas basketball for 2026-2027 season

TL;DR

Matas Vokietaitis will return to Texas basketball for the 2026-2027 season after a standout sophomore year. He averaged 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, helping the Longhorns reach the NCAA tournament's later stages.

Following the best season of his college career, Matas Vokietaitis has announced that he will be returning to Texas for the 2026-2027 campaign. The talented center was a human highlight reel as a sophomore and helped guide the Longhorns just a few wins from a national title. With Vokietaitis back in the mix, head coach Sean Miller can pencil in a rising star to his starting five.

During his first season as a Longhorn, the Lithuanian native averaged a career-high 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He also shot 66.9 percent from the field and started 36 games. While Vokietaitis was adjusting to a new system, he held his own in the SEC and improved as his playing time increased.

In the NCAA tournament, Vokietaitis continued to thrive against some of the best teams in the nation. He finished the Longhorns March Madness run with 49 points in three games. The Longhorns big man also added 27 rebounds to his resume,16 of which came against BYU in the Round of 64.

As Vokietaitis prepares for his second season with Texas, he will be looking to build on his success. He was one of the best centers in the SEC and showed that he can carry a team when needed. That was one of the reasons he was one of Sean Miller's top targets in the portal.

If the Longhorns can get the same type of production out of Vokietaitis during his sophomore campaign, they will be a hard team to stop. A lot could change over the next few months as the roster takes shape, but center is one area Texas no longer has to worry about.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Lithuanian Matas Vokietaitis to return to Texas basketball next season

Q&A

What were Matas Vokietaitis's statistics during his first season at Texas?

Matas Vokietaitis averaged 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, shooting 66.9 percent from the field.

How did Matas Vokietaitis perform in the NCAA tournament?

In the NCAA tournament, Vokietaitis scored 49 points and grabbed 27 rebounds across three games, including 16 rebounds against BYU.

Why is Matas Vokietaitis considered a key player for Texas basketball?

Vokietaitis is seen as a key player due to his impressive performance as a center, where he demonstrated the ability to lead the team and was a top target for head coach Sean Miller.