Texas Tech basketball adds final piece to what could be a championship roster

After months of patience, Texas Tech basketball fans have been rewarded. That's because head coach Grant McCasland and his staff have put together a roster capable of cutting down the nets at the 2027 Final Four in Detroit. What was likely the final piece of that puzzle was put in place Monday evening when the program announced the return of fifth-year senior Donovan Atwell.

The lefty sharpshooter is one of numerous players around the nation planning to play as fifth-year seniors in 2026-27 despite having exhausted their eligibility at the end of last season. Their. extra year arrives thanks to court injunctions that have allowed them to take advantage of the fifth season granted to college players by the NCAA this offseason.

Atwell has played four years of college hoops, three at UNC Greensboro and one in Lubbock. Now, a man who became a fan-favorite on the South Plains in just one season will have another year to continue to rewrite the Red Raider record books.

Last season, Atwell set a new Texas Tech single-season record with 130 made 3-pointers
while also setting a new Big 12 record with 81 made 3-pointers in conference play. Overall, he averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game while shooting 45.8% from beyond the arc.

What's more, Atwell was also Tech's top perimeter defender. Despite often being tasked with checking the opposition's best guard, he was able to impact the game on both ends of the court on his way to earning honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors.

This summer, he participated in the NBA Summer League with the Chicago Bulls. In that event, he was a breakout star, averaging 10.6 points per game while shooting 48.5% from long distance. However, he is now headed back to Lubbock after receiving a fifth year, and his addition to McCasland's squad could be what puts Tech over the top.

Texas Tech now has a roster built to win it all

After months of worry, Texas Tech fans now can see why their basketball staff was being patient with the construction of the 2026-27 team. It is now obvious that McCasland and Co. were confident that the fifth-year rulings would pay off in their favor, and that's exactly what has happened.

Tech has added three fifth-year seniors to the mix with Atwell, Jamichael Stillwell (a transfer from UCF), and forward Darrion Williams (who spent last season at NC State after two seasons in Lubbock).

Looking at Tech's roster as a whole, there are now no glaring weaknesses. Assuming that star big man JT Toppin can return to top form at some point in the season after tearing a knee ligament in February, Tech will have a team that can not only reach the Final Four but also win it as well.

In addition to Atwell, the backcourt will feature transfers Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who averaged over 20 points per game last season at Hofstra and UNLV, respectively. What's more, Tech will be adding touted true freshman Dakari Spear, a 4-star recruit and one of the top ten high school shooting guards in his class.

Additionally, Texas Tech has beefed up its frontcourt with the addition of international big man Bassala Bagayoko. He is an athletic specimen who gives this roster the type of size and presence it was lacking in the paint.

Now, Texas Tech fans can take a breath and stop worrying about the slow pace this offseason moved from a roster-construction perspective. McCasland had a plan all along, and with Atwell's return now secured, it has come together as well as anyone could have hoped. In fact, Texas Tech fans might want to start making plans to head to Motor City in April.

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