Kevin Durant passed the torch to D.J. Augustin. He's handing off to A.J. Abrams, who was more than a passenger the last two seasons, first when freshman and player of the year Durant starred and then as sidekick to Augustin last season.

Abrams entered the NBA draft but backed out through the loophole allowed underclassmen, permitted to withdraw after in-person workouts and reviews, on June 16.

Abrams might run the show from the point -- or defer to touted Turkish point Dogus Balbay, who missed last season with a torn right ACL. But he'll be the main attraction.

Who among the Longhorns, and when exactly, will join Abrams on the marquee is open to debate.

Although progress was slow along the interior, where the development of returnees will still take some time, the Longhorns relied on an outstanding backcourt to tie Kansas for the Big 12 championship following a 13-3 run through the league.

Coach Rick Barnes is no stranger to reloading rather than rebuilding. Few expected the Longhorns could swiftly advance while replacing Durant on a team with marginal depth. Barnes wants his team to tighten defensively, but doesn't envision any kind of letdown in 2008-09 without Augustin.

Augustin ran the show and was among the best in the country dictating the pace of the game and involving his teammates. Abrams was a deadly 3-point threat, while forward Damion James was one of the best rebounders in the Big 12 despite being somewhat undersized.

As last season progressed, Texas improved defensively, though the lopsided loss to Memphis again pointed out the Longhorns' tendency to wither with a thin bench. In their seven defeats, the Longhorns allowed opponents to connect at a .492 percentage for an 82-point average.

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