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Texas Tech basketball: 3 newcomers who are likely to start for the Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

HONOLULU, HI - DECEMBER 22: Bryson Williams #11 of the UTEP Miners lines up a shot during the first half of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Stan Sheriff Center on December 22, 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
HONOLULU, HI - DECEMBER 22: Bryson Williams #11 of the UTEP Miners lines up a shot during the first half of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Stan Sheriff Center on December 22, 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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UTEP player Bryson Williams looks for a teammate to pass the ball to. UTEP defeated the University of Texas at San Antonio 69-51 at the Don Haskins Center on Jan. 30, 2021.Utep Vs Utsa Game 2 008
UTEP player Bryson Williams looks for a teammate to pass the ball to. UTEP defeated the University of Texas at San Antonio 69-51 at the Don Haskins Center on Jan. 30, 2021.Utep Vs Utsa Game 2 008 /

F – Bryson Williams

Playing next to Obanor in the post this year will be UTEP transfer, Bryson Williams.  He should combine with Obanor to give Tech one of the best starting forward duos in the Big 12.

A native of Fresno, California, Williams will be at his third school after starting his career with Fresno State.  But after the head coach who recruited him to Fresno and whom he followed to UTEP, Rodney Terry, joined the Texas Longhorns’ staff this offseason, Williams hit the transfer portal again.  However, he changed course and did not follow Terry to Austin and that’s great news for Texas Tech.

After putting up 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season, Williams earned third-team All-Conference USA honors making it the second time he’s been an all-conference selection (he was a first-team honoree in 2020).

Williams is a rather quiet and no-nonsense person who plays with relentless determination on the court.  His high motor and willingness to get his nose dirty will endear him to his new head coach and to Texas Tech basketball fans.

He’s shot over 50% from the floor for his career and he was an 82% free-throw shooter a season ago, two keys that will make him invaluable to this year’s squad.  And like Obanor, he’s had big games against good programs.

This past season at Kansas, a game UTEP lead throughout only to lose in the closing minutes, he scored 23 points and pulled down 13 boards.  Meanwhile, in 2017, he had a 22-point and 9-board showing at Arkansas. Also, he had a 22-point, 10-rebound game against Arizona State in 2020.

The arrival of Williams and Obanor means that super senior Marcus Santos-Silva will have a new role coming off the bench this year after being a starter for the Red Raiders in 2020-21.  Let that sink in.  A player who averaged 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last year will now be coming off of the Red Raider bench.  That’s going to do wonders for this team in the post.

Therefore, one could argue that this is the most well-stocked that the forward position has been for the Red Raiders in recent memory.  And it’s all because Adams has added two pieces from the transfer portal who have the potential to be all-conference performers this year.

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