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Texas Tech basketball: New G-League program won’t hurt Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

FORT WAYNE, IN - OCTOBER 22: General view of the NBA Development League logo on the floor during a preseason game between the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on October 22, 2015 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Hornets 98-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
FORT WAYNE, IN - OCTOBER 22: General view of the NBA Development League logo on the floor during a preseason game between the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on October 22, 2015 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Hornets 98-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Keenan Evans #12 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Keenan Evans #12 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Beard doesn’t need blue-chip prospects to win

Last year, Chris Beard came within one possession of winning the national title without a blue-chip player on his roster.  Thus, even if the G League limits the number of All-Americans coming into the college game, the Red Raiders will still be able to compete at the highest levels.

In fact, the best players Beard has ever had were just 3-star players in high school.  When he signed with Texas Tech in 2014, Keenan Evans was just the No. 292 player in the nation.  His only other high-major conference offer was from Colorado.

In 2017, Zhaire Smith was just the No. 194 player in the nation and Jarrett Culver was the No. 312 prospect.  Both became first-round NBA picks in the span of two years or less.

In the same signing class as Keenan Evans, Tariq Owens was just the No. 185 player.  Meanwhile, Matt Mooney wasn’t even ranked as a player when he signed with Air Force as a high school senior in the class of 2013.

In fact, the highest-ranked player that Beard had on either his Elite Eight or Final Four team was Brandone Francis, the No. 31 player in the nation in the class of 2014 when he signed with Florida.  And therein lies another important point.

While Francis was a solid contributor off the bench during his career in Lubbock, he was never one of the most important pieces of the puzzle despite being the highest-rated former high school player in the program.  In other words, Beard doesn’t need blue-chip players to win.

Texas Tech is a program built around development and dedication more than star power.  That’s why last year’s team got to the National Title Game despite the fact that Kahvon Moore, the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with the program at the time, played only two minutes all season before transferring.

This past season saw Jahmi’us Ramsey, Beard’s first five-star signee, lead the team in scoring but because there were not as many quality upper-classmen around him (such as Keenan Evans, Matt Mooney, or Norense Odiase), the 2019-20 team came nowhere near approaching the level that either of the two previous Red Raider teams reached.  Thus, we have to remember that Chris Beard can do more with 3-star talent than most coaches can do with 5-star talent and that’s something that could pay off if more and more top players head to the NBA out of high school.

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