Amid PJ Haggerty rumors, Sean Miller's Texas secures commitment from 7'1 British prospect

Barking Abbey London Lions center Lewis Obiorah has confirmed where he will be playing college basketball in the 2025-2026 season. On Saturday, per his agent Demantas Baziukas telling ESPN, Obiorah has committed to the Texas Longhorns, coached by recently-appointed Sean Miller, for his rookie year of collegiate hoops.

The report comes amidst intensifying rumors regarding Memphis Tigers star PJ Haggerty and links of him transferring to the Longhorns for his junior campaign. Obiorah, who stands at 7-foot-1, provides more size and strength for Miller's squad as the Texas program will be uncorking its first season under his tutelage later this 2025.

"NEWS: Barking Abbey's Lewis Obiorah has committed to Texas, agent Deimantas Baziukas told ESPN. The 7’1, 19-year old British center with a 7’5 wingspan will be a developmental piece for Sean Miller in the SEC," @DraftExpress on X reported.

Obiorah, who is of British ethnicity, has rounded out his time with Barking Abbey in D2 of the British NBL. The 19-year-old with a huge 7'5 wingspan was one of the standouts for the team, as his length can be taken advantage of by the Longhorns by turning him into a defensive dynamo and rim protector.

The young stalwart will be joining a Texas team that recently fired coach Rodney Terry after he was the squad's main tactician from 2023 to 2025. In the 2024-2025 campaign, the Longhorns finished with an overall record of 19-16, 6-12 during SEC play earlier this year, and were trounced out of this year's NCAA national tournament in the First Four on March 19 against the Xavier Musketeers, 86-80.

But even with the insertion of Obiorah, Texas is aggressively pursuing more top-name prospects and transferees for their team, given that they are now under the leadership of coach Miller.

One of the more proactive names that is being linked is the aforementioned Haggerty, who entered his name on the transfer portal on April 17.

The Texas Longhorns are one of the frontrunners to land PJ Haggerty for the 2025-2026 season

Even after a successful sophomore campaign with the Memphis Tigers, coached by NBA legend Penny Hardaway, PJ Haggerty is seemingly moving on from the program.

The spitfire scorer has since narrowed down his options to the Texas Longhorns, NC State Wolfpack, the Ole Miss Rebels and a return to Memphis. But, Texas' deep profile NIL opportunities might prove to be most enticing for Haggerty.

Haggerty was arguably the Tigers' best player in the 2024-2025 season, as he averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per contest. If the Crosby, Texas native does transfer to Texas, it will be the fourth program he has ever played for, with stints at Memphis, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and a redshirt season with the TCU Horned Frogs.