There was a time when it was unusual for players to transfer within a conference. But those days are now long gone, with former Texas Tech basketball forward Robert Jennings announcing Thursday his intention to join the Oklahoma State Cowboys program.
The simple reality is that Texas Tech won't miss Jennings all that much. So the animosity toward him shouldn't reach the same level as it did toward previous Red Raiders who transferred to other Big 12 programs, especially Kevin McCullar Jr., who left Lubbock for Kansas State.
In his two years as a Red Raider, Jennings has proven that his ceiling is pretty low. He's 6-foot-7, but players who can't dribble or shoot at the Big 12 level often end up being treated as tweeners, and Jennings is exactly that.
He was a small post player who could sometimes get exposed when playing the big post. We saw it happen when Jennings couldn't handle the 6-foot-9, 270-pound DJ Barnes Jr. when Texas Tech lost to North Carolina State in the NCAA Tournament.
That game was a reminder of the limitations Jennings always has as a player. Sure, he did some great things as a Red Raider, especially when he had to start in place of the injured Warren Washington. For example, he had 10 points and seven rebounds against BYU in the Big 12 Tournament.
However, the sophomore averaged only 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. This shows that he is not destined to be more than just a role player, especially considering his limited skill set.
Jennings was useful as a strong physical force coming off the bench and keeping opposing big men in check for short stretches. He was going to do the dirty work that any team needs, but he probably won't do much more than that, and Texas Tech could easily find a player who brings more production at the power forward position. You should be able to do that.
College basketball these days is all about shuffling the roster. Gone are the days when players had time to develop into contributors over several years.
Now, the transfer portal has increased the potential value of every scholarship a team has at its discretion. That's why players like Jennings change programs so often.
Jennings was a decent player for the Red Raiders and helped save Tech's bacon when Washington was sidelined for a month at the end of last season. But he's no longer a Red Raider because he doesn't have the look of a true difference-maker.
Maybe he'll blossom in Stillwater, but that seems like a stretch given what he's shown thus far. Therefore, the Red Raiders are unlikely to lament the fact that he made it to a Big 12 rival.
