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Texas Tech basketball: Preseason questions about the 2023-24 Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

Texas Tech's Joe Toussaint shoots the ball during the team's first practice, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech's Joe Toussaint shoots the ball during the team's first practice, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena. /
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Feb 18, 2023; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Lamar Washington (1) dribbles the ball up the floor during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2023; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Lamar Washington (1) dribbles the ball up the floor during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

Will the returners take a step forward for Texas Tech?

While most fans are excited to see the new faces in action for Texas Tech, it might be the development of the returners that determines what 2023-24 holds.  But will those familiar names who were around last season be able to make significant improvements under a new coaching staff?

Of course, the highest hopes are for Pop Isaacs who had one of the best true freshman seasons in program history last year.  Had it not been for injuries that limited him to 25 games and had Tech been more successful as a team last year, we might be talking about his freshman season in the same breath as those put up by some of the most beloved players in Tech history.

In fact, Isaacs averaged more points per game as a true freshman than Jarrett Culver, Zhaire Smith, Keenan Evans, or Jarrius Jackson.  This year, will he become an All-Big 12 performer with a year to develop physically?  Remember that he missed most of the offseason workouts last year while recovering from an injury so the past several months have likely been beneficial for him in terms of his strength and conditioning.

Meanwhile, is Robert Jennings ready to be more than just a bit player?  After averaging just 8.7 points per game last season, the 6-foot-7 power forward might be asked to give Tech some much-needed strength in the post this year.

Lamar Washington could also surprise some people as a sophomore.  However, he’s going to have to cut down on his turnovers in order to prove capable of being a player McCasland can rely on for heavy minutes in the guard rotation.

Finally, can Kerwin Walton or D’Maurion Williams give this year’s team…well…anything?  Their inability to crack the rotation last year as upperclass transfers was a huge problem because it forced the Red Raiders to have to rely more heavily on freshmen and that’s no way to survive in the Big 12.

While the newcomers will infuse a ton of talent into the roster, this team isn’t going to go as far as we hope if the returners don’t carry their share of the weight as well.  So which ones are ready to be breakout performers this year after a season in the program?  The answer to that question will be one of the keys to this team’s success.

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