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Texas Tech basketball: 2020 forward Mwani Wilkinson offered by Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders looks on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders looks on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The Texas Tech basketball program has extended an offer to 2020 forward Mwani Wilkinson.

Another player in the class of 2020 to pick up an offer from the Texas Tech basketball program is Mwani Wilkinson.  The 6-foot-6 forward reportedly picked up an offer from Tech this week according to the Twitter account of his AAU team Vegas Elite Hoops.

This is Wilkinson’s third offer to go along with ones from UNLV and Cal State Northridge.  A 3-star prospect, he is the No. 7 player in Nevada and the No. 40 power forward in the nation according to 247Sports.

Interestingly, Wilkinson is a player who is benefitting from the extra exposure that comes with being on one of the top AAU teams in the country.  Playing alongside a 5-star and two 4-star recruits on the Las Vegas Elite team, he’s had an opportunity to showcase his game to some of the top programs in the nation.

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Now, it appears Chris Beard and his staff have taken notice.  And according to what Wilkinson said he was asked to do for his Bishop Gorman High School team last season, he could be a prototypical Beard player.

"“I’ve always had my athleticism, and when I started playing for Gorman, that’s when I started embracing defending,” Wilkinson told the Las Vegas Sun. “Now I’m starting to enjoy it. Defending, of course it takes size and athleticism, but most of it is heart. To never give up on a play. That’s what it takes.”"

So far on the AAU circuit this summer, Wilkinson has been more than just a defensive stopper though.  He’s averaged 15 points per game in two of the premier summer events, the Nike EYBL camp and the Peach Jam, where he put up over 17 points per contest.  What’s more, he’s averaged 3.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 0.6 blocks per game this summer.

Right now, it appears as if UNLV is the natural frontrunner in this race.  However, Texas Tech’s recent ascent to the upper echelon of the college basketball world will absolutely carry some significant weight.

If Tech lands this Las Vegas product, it will not sit well with the UNLV faithful who are less than happy with Texas Tech.  Of course, in 2016, Chris Beard left Vegas after less than a month on the job to come to Lubbock in a move that stunned and angered most affiliated with the Rebels.  What’s more, Tech recently added UNLV transfer Joel Ntambwe, who was one of the Rebels’ best players as a true freshman in 2018-19.

Of course, that isn’t going to worry anyone in the Red Raider’s camp.  Beard has a roster to build and a standard of excellence to maintain so if stepping on Rebel toes again is what is required, then he won’t worry about breaking a few phalanges in the desert.

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