From first-round pick Christian Anderson Jr. to veteran Zhaire Smith, five Red Raiders descend on Las Vegas to secure roster spots and cement the program’s professional legacy.
Last month, Christian Anderson Jr. became the first member of Texas Tech men's basketball to hear his name called on the opening night of the NBA Draft since Jarrett Culver did so in 2019.
Anderson became the 18th overall pick of the Charlotte Hornets — but he won't be the only Red Raider suiting up in Las Vegas when NBA Summer League action begins in Sin City.
Five former Texas Tech players will compete in the annual event, including Anderson, Donovan Atwell, Chance McMillian, Jahmi'us Ramsey and 2018 first-round pick Zhaire Smith.
Anderson will suit up for the Charlotte Hornets, Atwell joins the Chicago Bulls, McMillian lands with the Golden State Warriors, Ramsey will represent the Denver Nuggets and Smith rounds out the group with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Our own Nathan Karseno already detailed Atwel's presence with the Bulls, but how will the remaining four Red Raiders fare?
Well, each is fighting for something different.
Now that LaMelo Ball is in Minnesota with the Timberwolves, Anderson's opportunities open up.
Sure, the Hornets re-signed Coby White ... but notice how Charlotte didn't deal Ball until Anderson had already been selected.
It's difficult to ignore that kind of timing. The Hornets must feel comfortable with Anderson potentially being the lead guard of the future — and a strong showing in Vegas would solidify that.
McMillian's path may be the simplest of the group.
After averaging 17.0 points and 5.1 assists for the Golden State Warriors' G League affiliate last season, the former Red Raider doesn't need to prove he can score professionally ... rather, he needs to prove he can do it efficiently enough to warrant an NBA roster spot.
McMillian doesn't need to dominate Las Vegas. He just needs to continue showing he belongs.
Ramsey's challenge is different.
The former Texas Tech freshman star has already reached the NBA mountaintop once, appearing in 39 games across stints with Sacramento and Toronto — most recently in the 2023-24 season.
Now, the Nuggets represent an opportunity to get back.
Then there's Smith.
Before Anderson and before Culver, there was the program's first one-and-done player.
... but Smith's professional journey hasn't exactly gone according to plan.
Between injuries, a life-threatening allergic reaction and multiple professional stops, the former first-round pick never quite got the opportunity to establish himself in the NBA the way many expected back in 2018.
At just 27 years old, Smith is still fighting for another opportunity.
And should he and fellow former Red Raider Donovan Atwell both crack their respective rotations in Vegas, the Lakers and Bulls could provide Texas Tech fans with a rare Summer League showdown between former Red Raiders.
With five players in total, Texas Tech owns strong representation for a program that produced just one first-round pick before 2018.
