It was a historic NBA Draft cycle for the Houston Cougars basketball program. Three Houston players were selected in Kingston Flemings at No. 8 ( Atlanta Hawks ), Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 27 ( Boston Celtics ) and Emanuel Sharp at No. 45 ( Sacramento Kings ). In a bit of a surprise, former senior point guard Milos Uzan went undrafted.
Uzan had been a huge part of Houston for the last two seasons as one of the most experienced players and a savvy point guard that stabilized both ends of the floor. He was the starting point guard for Houston in his junior year and played a big role in leading the Cougars to their first national championship appearance since 1984.
Most mock drafts had Uzan being selected in the late second round, and even in the early 50's. Unfortunately for him and Houston, that did not end up happening. He was invited to the NBA Combine in May and reportedly had some interest across the association. This was a stacked draft and it's difficult to get drafted.
Ultimately, Uzan signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Boston Celticson Thursday morning, as reported by Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com. This is a one-year, non-guaranteed deal and it seems Uzan will have to play well to keep his spot on the Celtics roster.
Uzan was a high IQ point guard that didn't turn the ball over and was able to get hot scoring wise while being a solid defender. He also had ideal size at 6-foot-3. Houston will miss him on its roster and the Cougars will need to pick up new point guard production.
Jan 20, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Louisiana State Tigers guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (11) dribbles the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
The Cougars were loaded at the position this past season with Flemings and Uzan, who returned to Houston for his senior year after initially declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft after a standout junior year.
While Uzan averaged only 11.1 points, four assists, 2.7 rebounds, and one steal on just 38 percent shooting, his stats didn't tell the entire story. Houston will need to find his production from someone else, and the Cougars have exactly that.
Incoming senior transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. will take over the starting point guard role, and there are high expectations for him after being one of the top point guards available in this year's transfer portal. Additionally, the Cougars also have multiple combo guards that could potentially help out as well.
While junior Mercy Miller is expected to be the shooting guard, he can be capable of running an offense. Redshirt junior guard Kordel Jefferson will likely get much more playing time. The Cougars also have freshman guard Ikenna Alozie, who may see the court as well.
Either way, this is Thomas Jr.'s primary role now, and the talent is certainly there . He averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.7 rebounds on 46 percent shooting last season at LSU. He also shot 83 percent at the free throw line on high volume, and he can draw fouls.
Coming off an injury at LSU where he only played 16 games, health will be key. Thomas Jr. spent his first two seasons of college at UNLV. He has the same hometown as Uzan in Las Vegas, and the two of them are familiar with each other. That connection will certainly help now.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as Houston's Point Guard Depth After Milos Uzan Signs With Boston Celtics .
