Texas Tech future grows murkier; Darrion Williams to enter NBA draft and portal

After the Texas Tech basketball program came within an eyelash of reaching the Final Four this season, most Red Raider fans dreamed of seeing the three key Red Raiders with remaining eligibility, Darrion Williams, JT Toppin, and Christian Anderson, run it back next season to try to finish the job. While that could still happen, the immediate future of the program is now up in the air with the news that Williams will officially explore all of his options this offseason.

Sunday, multiple people on social media reported that the senior-to-be will be entering the transfer portal while also going through the NBA Draft process. That puts the Red Raiders in an extremely difficult position.

Now, it could be the middle of June before Tech will know if Williams will return to the college ranks as underclassmen have until the 15th of that month to officially withdraw from NBA Draft consideration. Thus, tech might have to wait two months before knowing what Williams plans to do.

What's more, the earliest that he might reach a decision will likely be after the NBA Draft Combine, which takes place from May 11-18. Therefore, Tech is left in limbo for quite some time.

The Red Raiders now have to decide if they will try to convince Williams to return by offering him a large NIL deal. If that happens, then they will have to reserve a huge piece of the NIL pie in case Williams decides he wants to come back to Lubbock for his final season.

The problem, though, is that there is obviously no guarantee that he will choose Texas Tech, even if he does withdraw from the draft. So, does Tech now turn to other options at the small forward position and use its full NIL pie while the portal market is still stocked with excellent players, or will the program keep its powder dry in case Williams wants to stay with the program?

That's a tough decision that could shape the immediate future of a program that believes it is on the doorstep of a National Championship. Of course, if Williams isn't a Red Raider next season, dreams of reaching the 2026 Final Four might be far-fetched.

This year, Williams proved to be the heart and soul of the Texas Tech basketball team, especially in the NCAA Tournament. Averaging 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for the season, he posted 21 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game in Tech's four NCAA Tournament contests.

That included an unforgettable Sweet 16 performance against Arkansas. In the 85-83 overtime win, Williams scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out three assists, and came up with three steals. Along the way, he hit a 3-pointer in the final ten seconds of regulation to force overtime, and then he made the game-winning layup in the final seven seconds of OT.

His brilliant NCAA Tournament was the capper on a junior season that saw Williams earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. But now, one has to wonder if it also drove his stock so high that he's going to be able to parlay that March Madness performance into new opportunities that will take him away from Texas Tech.

This is not the news that Red Raider fans wanted to read as the offseason player movement frenzy gets underway. Rather, everyone in Scarlet and Black was hoping that Williams, Toppin, and Anderson would return to form the foundation of a National Title contender in 2025-26. Now, though, Tech is in a tough spot as the program must decide how to build next season's team while having to play the long game as it waits for Williams to sort out his future.