The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Swain selected No. 15 by the Chicago Bulls in 2026 NBA Draft
06.23.2026 | Men's Basketball
Dailyn Swain becomes the 21st player in program history to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Former University of Texas standout Dailyn Swain was selected as the No. 15 pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday evening at Barclays Center. Swain becomes the 21st former Longhorn to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Texas has now had 20 players drafted in the last 21 NBA Drafts, dating back to the 2006 Draft. Since 2000, the Longhorns rank seventh nationally in the number of NBA lottery picks (10) and tied for seventh in the number of NBA first-round selections (17). Head Coach Sean Miller has now produced 19 all-time NBA Draft picks, including 12 first-round selections.
With Swain's selection as the No. 15 pick this year on the heels of Tre Johnson selected as the No. 6 pick in the 2025 Draft, Texas is one of just four schools to have a top-15 pick in each of the last two NBA Drafts. The Longhorns are joined in this select group by Arizona, BYU and Duke.
"A lot of emotions (tonight)," Swain said during his post-selection media availability. "I was super nervous coming into it, but I'm very excited. Super blessed to be here and super excited to get to work. I'm just grateful. I'm ready to make this next step. I'll reset back to being a rookie and do everything I can to impact the game and get better every single day."
Swain spent one season at Texas (2025-26) and two years previously at Xavier (2023-25) before turning professional following his junior season. He played in 99 career games (72 starts) and recorded collegiate totals of 1,128 points, 545 rebounds, 254 assists and 142 steals. Swain converted 52.6-percent (399-758) from the floor and 81.5-percent (287-352) from the free throw line in his career. He reached double figures in scoring 58 times in his career, including thirteen 20-point efforts and two 30-point performances. Swain reached double digits in rebounds 11 times while recording 11 career double-doubles. He became just the third player in the last 20 years to post at least 10 points and three assists in each of his first six career NCAA Tournament contests, joining Derrick Rose (Memphis, 2008) and Marcus Carr (Texas, 2022-23).
In his junior season at Texas (2025-26), Swain was one of five finalists for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. He was tabbed SEC Newcomer of the Year, All-SEC Second Team by the league's coaches and first-team NABC All-Gulf District, Swain was the only player in a D1 major conference to lead his team in at least five different major statistical categories, as he paced the Longhorns in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (129), steals (59) and minutes (32.8 mpg).
Swain became just the third SEC player in the last 30 seasons to average at least 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 3.0 apg, joining Grant Williams (Tennessee, 2018-19) and Ben Simmons (LSU, 2015-16). He played and started all 36 games last year and hit 54.2-percent (214-395) from the floor and 81.5-percent (163-200) from the free throw line. Swain reached double digits in scoring in 33 of the 36 games, topped the 20-point mark 12 times, hit the 30-point mark twice and posted eight double-doubles.
In his four NCAA Tournament games last year while leading Texas to the Sweet 16, he registered a team-best 21 assists (5.3 apg). During SEC play, Swain averaged 19.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg and 1.8 spg in 34.2 mpg while hitting 54.9-percent (117-213) from the floor, including a 38.5-percent (20-52) mark from three-point range, and 82.5-percent (99-120) from the free throw line. In conference play, he ranked eighth in scoring, third in rebounding, fourth in field goal percentage, tied for ninth in free throw percentage, fifth in steals and tied for second in defensive rebounds (6.33 rpg).
Since the NBA Draft began in 1947, a total of 51 Longhorns have heard their names called on draft night.
Most NBA Draft First-Round Picks by School since 2000
|
School |
Number of First-Round Picks |
|
Duke |
40 |
|
Kentucky |
40 |
|
North Carolina |
27 |
|
Kansas |
22 |
|
UConn |
20 |
|
Arizona |
19 |
|
TEXAS |
17 |
|
UCLA |
17 |
|
Michigan |
16 |
|
Washington |
14 |
|
Syracuse |
13 |
|
Gonzaga |
12 |
|
Michigan State |
12 |
Most NBA Draft Lottery Picks by School since 2000
|
School |
Number of Lottery Picks |
|
Duke |
26 |
|
Kentucky |
24 |
|
Kansas |
17 |
|
UConn |
14 |
|
Arizona |
13 |
|
North Carolina |
13 |
|
TEXAS |
10 |
|
Michigan |
8 |
|
Gonzaga |
7 |
List of All-Time NBA Draft Picks Coached by Sean Miller
|
Year |
Name |
School |
Pick Number |
Team |
|
2009 |
Derrick Brown |
Xavier |
40 |
Charlotte |
|
2011 |
Derrick Williams |
Arizona |
2 |
Minnesota |
|
2013 |
Solomon Hill |
Arizona |
23 |
Indiana |
|
2013 |
Grant Jerrett |
Arizona |
40 |
Portland |
|
2014 |
Aaron Gordon |
Arizona |
4 |
Orlando |
|
2014 |
Nick Johnson |
Arizona |
42 |
Houston |
|
2015 |
Stanley Johnson |
Arizona |
8 |
Detroit |
|
2015 |
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson |
Arizona |
23 |
Portland |
|
2017 |
Lauri Markkanen |
Arizona |
7 |
Minnesota |
|
2017 |
Kadeem Allen |
Arizona |
53 |
Boston |
|
2018 |
Deandre Ayton |
Arizona |
1 |
Phoenix |
|
2020 |
Josh Green |
Arizona |
18 |
Dallas |
|
2020 |
Zeke Nnaji |
Arizona |
22 |
Denver |
|
2020 |
Nico Mannion |
Arizona |
48 |
Golden State |
|
2022 |
Bennedict Mathurin |
Arizona |
8 |
Indiana |
|
2022 |
Dalen Terry |
Arizona |
18 |
Chicago |
|
2022 |
Christian Koloko |
Arizona |
33 |
Toronto |
|
2023 |
Colby Jones |
Xavier |
34 |
Charlotte |
|
2026 |
Texas |
15 |
Chicago |
