The Texas Tech basketball team has made a big addition to its 2024-25 roster.
Point guard Elijah Hawkins has decided to join the Red Raiders, multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday. First of all, by On3. Hawkins himself has not made his pledge public as of this writing, but has shared a social media post about the news on his personal account.
Hawkins came to the Red Raiders after a very successful junior year at the University of Minnesota. Hawkins set program records for assists in a season (247), in a game (17) and in a postseason game (15) with the Golden Gophers. He finished the season tied for second in the nation with 7.5 assists per game.
The 5-foot-11 Washington, D.C., native is the third offseason starter, joining Drake guard Kevin Overton and Pittsburgh center Federico Federico, who joined earlier this month. Overton and Federico were announced as permanent signees by Texas Tech University.
Securing the point guard position was a key component of the Red Raiders' offseason. Gone are primarily the preseason ball handlers in Joe Toussaint (who exhausted his eligibility) and Pop Isaacs (signed with Creighton over the weekend). The versatile Darrion Williams and Overton will also take on some of those responsibilities, but Hawkins would give Lubbock a true floor general.
Before setting records at the University of Minnesota, Hawkins spent his first two years at Howard, starting 55 of 59 games and leading the Bison to the program's first NCAA Tournament in 31 years. This past season, Hawkins started all 33 games he played in for the Golden Gophers, averaging 33.3 minutes per game. He averaged 9.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 54 steals while shooting 39 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free throw line.
In addition to new recruits Hawkins, Overton and Federico, the Red Raiders will return scholarship players Williams, Chance McMillian, Kerwin Walton, Devin Cambridge and Emeli Yaraho. They are also joined by a pair of walk-ons, fellow returners Jack Francis and Jazz Henderson.
Players have until midnight ET on Wednesday to enter their names into the transfer portal, but it could take as long as it takes to decide on their next move.
Texas Tech will be given five scholarship spots to fill out the remainder of its roster in 2024-25.
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