Finally healthy, Aaron Ross is fulfilling his potential for Texas Tech basketball

Over five years ago one of the most important members of the 2015-16 Texas Tech basketball team signed his national letter of intent…to play for Arkansas. Now, after an amazing journey that has taken Texas Tech junior forward Aaron Ross from the heights of being a star recruit to the depths of wondering if his basketball career would ever take off, the native of North Little Rock, Arkansas is living up to his potential.

Next: Texas Tech upsets Iowa State

Ross has been a critical cog in Tubby Smith’s rotation all season but his improved play has been invaluable since Texas Tech lost starting forward Norense Odiase to a broken foot on January 18^th. In the six games without Odiase, Ross has averaged 13.6 points per game including games of at least twenty points in two of the Red Raiders’ last three contests (both resulting in victories).

Now the number one option off the bench for Tubby Smith, Ross plays the vast majority of minutes in each game, especially in the second half. But were it not for a personal mistake, Ross would never have stepped foot on the floor of the United Super Markets Arena.

After signing with Arkansas as a 3-star prospect out of high school Ross, a three-time all-state selection did not academically qualify for admission. Instead of being a Razorback in 2011 as expected, the No. 22 ranked high school power forward in the nation chose to enroll at St. John’s Northwest Military Academy in Minnesota for the 2011-2012 school year.

Doing so helped him maintain his full college eligibility while trying to meet NCAA academic standards. Rather than signing with a junior college like so many athletes do after not qualifying academically, Ross took an unusual route. Yet, that was just the first twist in Aaron Ross’ collegiate road.

Once he qualified and signed with Texas Tech, the young forward was dealt another blow.

More from Wreck'Em Red

A torn knee ligament during preseason workouts forced Ross to miss the entire 2012-13 season once again delaying his college basketball dreams. Then, as a redshirt sophomore last season, Ross reinjured the same knee causing him to miss significant time and delaying his development by limiting his practice opportunities and hindering his conditioning.

After returning to the Texas Tech lineup in December, Ross was not at full strength and scored in double digits only once in 23 appearances off the bench. Now, a year later Aaron Ross is flourishing in Lubbock and becoming the player everyone expected him to be five years ago when he was one of the nation’s top high school recruits.

This season Ross has averaged a career-best 9.6 points per game as Texas Tech’s top reserve. He has ten games of double-digit scoring including eight of the last nine Big 12 games as the Red Raiders fight for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

As the oldest player on the Texas Tech roster, Aaron Ross has also become an impromptu leader. When facing a feisty TCU squad on the road, Texas Tech was stunned and listless while trying to figure out how to play without Odiase who went down only eight minutes into the game.

Aaron Ross took control and scored 16 points, his highest total of the season to that point, leading the Red Raiders to victory and stopping a four-game slide. Now, Ross is a steadying influence for a young team figuring out how to win games in the nation’s toughest conference.

Basketball games are often decided when coaches have to go to their bench. Most reserves in college basketball are inexperienced youngsters trying to figure out the college game or upperclassmen with limited skills.

Aaron Ross is neither. Bringing experience and confidence to the second unit, he is the team’s most consistent outside shooting threat.

Hitting 49% from the field and 34% from 3-point range, the 6-foot-8 forward is a tough cover for opposing forwards. Now that Texas Tech has had to alter its style to compensate for the absence of Odiase, Ross’ ability to draw the other team’s big men out of the lane has opened space for Texas Tech ball-handlers like Keenan Evans and Justin Gray to drive to the basket.

The last five years have been quite the odyssey for Aaron Ross. Signing to play for Billie Gillespie, playing for interim coach Chris Walker when Gillespie resigned after only one season at Texas Tech and then adjusting to yet another head coach in Tubby Smith, all while having two knee surgeries, could have squashed Ross’ desire to play college basketball.

Yet just like the Texas Tech basketball program, Ross has bounced back from some of the darkest times of his life. Furthermore, as Ross’ career continues its upswing towards fulfilling its full potential so has his college basketball team, the one he didn’t intend to sign with in the first place.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball