Texas Longhorns Guard Enters Transfer Portal
AUSTIN – On the last day to enter the transfer portal without a coaching change, another Texas Longhorn entered the portal, guard Laila Phelia. She redshirted this season after suffering a detached retina just eight games into the season, but was expected to return for the 2025-26 season.
Phelia played just eight games in a Texas uniform after transferring from Michigan, where she played and was a consistent starter for three seasons. She is the fourth Longhorn to enter the transfer portal after Texas reached the Final Four for the first time in 22 years.
On3’s Talia Goodman first reported on the news with just hours left for players to enter the portal.
Her entry to the portal comes as a surprise for Texas fans, as she was set to take on a bigger role next season, one she would have had without injury this season. The 6-foot guard will enter the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.
Even with Rori Harmon returning at the point guard spot, the departure of Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda to the transfer portal would have given Phelia the chance to step up and move into a starting role, as she knows what it takes to start in a Power-Four conference.
Phelia led Michigan to an Elite Eight in her freshman season and has scored over 1,200 career points. As a Longhorn, she scored her season-high 10 points against DePaul on Nov. 17 and was a key part of the Texas lineup earlier in the season.
With the departure of Phelia, Texas is hoping to get a commitment from Utah’s Gianna Kneepkens, who is ranked as one of ESPN’s top transfer portal players.
Texas Longhorns guard Chris Johnson has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after a single season with the team. Standing 6-foot-5, Johnson appeared in 17 games during the 2024–25 season, averaging 4.5 minutes, 1.1 points, and 0.4 assists per game. He shot 42.1% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. A former four-star recruit from Montverde Academy in Florida, Johnson initially signed with Kansas but decommitted and joined Texas last summer. Despite plans to return for the 2025–26 season, he has opted to seek a new opportunity. Johnson is the third Longhorn to enter the transfer portal this offseason, joining Alex Anamekwe and Gavin Perryman .​
The Longhorns concluded the season with a 21–13 record under head coach Rodney Terry. The departure of Johnson adds to the team’s offseason roster changes as they prepare for the upcoming season.​
