Early Exit: A Look at Longhorns who Bolted early to the NBA

Parting is such sweet sorrow. As we say goodbye to sophomore (technically) Myck Kabongo, who made his intentions to declare for the NBA Draft clear last week, we decided to take a look at other Longhorn ballers who made the jump early in the last decade.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge is best known by UT fans for being the star during the team’s 2006 Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament. The big man averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists as a sophomore before making the jump to the pros. The Chicago Bulls took L.A. with the second pick overall before trading him to Portland for Tyrus Thomas (who had an insane game for LSU in their tournament win against Texas) and Viktor Khryapa. Whoops. Aldridge has emerged as one of the best low post players in the NBA, currently averaging 21 points and nearly 9 rebounds a game, and made his second All-Star appearance this season.

D.J. Augustin

A Bob Cousy Award winner as a sophomore, Augustin played brilliantly all season, ultimately taking the Longhorns to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Men’s Tournament before running into the buzzsaw that is Derrick Rose. Augustin made his name with flash and ability to get to the basket, and the Charlotte Bobcats scooped him up with the ninth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Augustin also deserves credit for being named first-team Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America as a sophomore. His NBA career has been a bit rocky (as it has been for every player to play for the Charlotte Bobcats) and Augustin currently serves as the backup point guard for the Indiana Pacers. Three cheers for progress!

Avery Bradley

Bradley came into Austin as one of the most hyped Longhorns in recent memory, ranked as the No. 1 prospect by ESPNU. A cool footnote is that he was a huge T.J. Ford fan growing up. He averaged 11 points per game at Texas before following Ford’s footsteps and exiting early for the draft. Bradley’s energy, potential, and defensive prowess lured the Boston Celtics to pick him with the 19th overall pick. Since then, Bradley has been one of the more underrated and important players for the Celtics, and will play a huge role in their effort to make a deep playoff run this season without starting guard Rajon Rondo.

Kevin Durant

It’s probably a safe bet that Kevin Durant will go down as the greatest Texas player of all time to play in the NBA. As a freshman at Texas, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year, averaging 25 points and 11 rebounds a game. He also was the first…[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] freshman to ever win the John Wooden Award. How good did Durant play during his stint at UT? The dude got his jersey retired already, after one season. Durant has somehow played even better as a pro, ranking as a three-time scoring champion and the unquestioned leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder. If it weren’t for a certain player by the name of LeBron, Durant would be the favorite to win the NBA MVP this season.

T.J. Ford

Ford ranks as the most fearless player I’ve ever witnessed on the Longhorns team. Seriously, the Fast and the Furious franchise could have been devoted to his countless number of drives to the hole. Ford earned Texas legend status before hitting Austin, leading Willowridge High to a 75-1 record and two state titles in his junior and senior seasons. Ford decided that wasn’t enough, however, and led the Longhorns in scoring, assists and steals on way to a Final Four appearance in the 2003 NCAA Men’s Tournament. Ford took home all the superlatives that season. The Wooden Award, Naismith Award, Best Actor at The Oscars…okay, maybe not the latter but you get the point. Milwaukee chose Ford was chosen with the No. 8 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft but injuries, including a brutal spinal cord injury, hampered him and ended his playing days earlier this season. Still, nothing can take away from his incredible run as a Longhorn.

Daniel “Booby/ Boobie” Gibson

Gibson made his name at UT as a three-point specialist, ranking as the first freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring. Gibson was part of the team that made it to the Elite Eight in 2006, alongside stars like LaMarcus Aldridge. Gibson’s landmark moment in the NBA came in Game 6 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons, where he scored 31 points and went 5-for-5 from behind the arc.

Jordan Hamilton

Hamilton was one of the most exciting and streaky shooters ever to play at the University of Texas. The California native was part of a talented team that earned the No. 1 ranking for a short time in 2010, and was also named to USBWA All-America Second Team. He was selected 26th overall by the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to the Denver Nuggets. Since then, he has had a tough time cracking one of the deepest rotations in the NBA, but we have a feeling his time could come in the near future.

Cory Joseph

As a freshman, Joseph made an immediate impact and started every game his freshman season. His signature moment came against the University of North Carolina, where he sank the game-winning jumper. he made the Big 12 All-Rookie team before leaping to the pros, where San Antonio chose him with the 29th pick overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Canadian native has been getting some significant playing time this season with Tony Parker fighting injuries. You can’t ask for a better situation to be in, really.

Dexter Pittman

Dexter Pittman’s career at the University of Texas serves as one of the most successful experiments in the Rick Barnes era. The big man battled with weight issues and ultimately rose up to become a dominant player in his junior year. Pittman’s combo of size and strength convinced the Miami Heat to pick him at No. 32 in the 2010 NBA Draft. His pro career has been spotty, but he does have a ring, earning it as a member of the Heat last season.

Tristan Thompson

Thompson teamed up with Cory Joseph as a north of the border duo that was at times unstoppable. While the numbers didn’t translate to a deep tournament run, Thompson’s skills down low were enough to get him picked fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft. He currently averages 11 points and 9 rebounds for the Cavs and is quickly becoming one of the more dependable young stars in the NBA.

P.J. Tucker

Tucker shined at Texas, earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors in the 2005-2006 season. The Toronto Raptors chose him with the 35th pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, before ultimately cutting him. Tucker bounced around overseas, becoming the 2007-2008 MVP in the Israeli Premier League, until 2012 when he found a spot in the Phoenix Suns’ rotation. Tucker is averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds a game and serves as testimony to what a player can do with dedication.

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