The Red Raiders held their first office practice of the new season, and head coach Grant McCasland opened up about what this offseason was like assembling his team.
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Grant McCasland joked that he knows it's football season at Texas Tech, but his Red Raiders men's basketball program began the 2026-27 season with the first official practice on Tuesday.
"This is as good a group as I've ever been a part of," McCasland said courtside at United Supermarkets Arena, the site of Texas Tech's season-opener on Nov. 2.
The fourth-year coach pointed to his roster's athleticism, will to win, and "care-factor" as reasons he's optimistic about the new season.
"I do think we've put a lot of hope and thought into putting a roster together that we feel will be ready to go and make the whole journey where we can have as much success at the end of the season as we can."
Eligibility uncertainty clouds Red Raiders' potential outlook
Much of the offseason news surrounding this team concerned the temporary injunctions sought by three Texas Tech players, all of whom remain listed on the active roster: Jamichael Stillwell, Darrion Williams and Donovan Atwell.
"There was a lot of conviction behind who we wanted on our team," McCasland said.
In that process, he leaned on familiarity. Williams is returning to the program after spending the 2025-26 year at NC State, and Atwell is returning after one of the most prolific 3-point shooting years in Texas Tech history a year ago.
Additionally, McCasland noted two factors that made decision-making difficult for forming this team: the upcoming availability of All-American big man JT Toppin and whether dynamic guard Christian Anderson would come back to school (Anderson chose to stay enrolled in the NBA Draft, where he was picked No. 18 overall by the Charlotte Hornets.
In the end, McCasland feels that - even amid the uncertainties of eligibility and injuries - this year's team brings a level of competitiveness and experience that was not always present on his other teams.
And if things change before the season starts, McCasland is staying level-headed about playing with the players that are eligible because of the character traits that helped land them a spot on the team.
"This isn't hard at all, for me [and] for us as a program" McCasland said about navigate potential roster adjustments. "I can just tell you that we're moving forward, and this is our team no matter who can play when. And this is always kinda the way you want it to be. Who's ready to play when it's their moment? We got plenty of capable guys ... I think this team is a team for that reason."
McCasland details Williams' unique return to Lubbock
Williams starred on the Red Raiders for two years and helped guide the team to an Elite Eight in the 2024-25 season. Since his transfer to NC State before last season, McCasland expressed gratitude for how things transpired to get Williams back to Lubbock.
"It's one of the most unique things I've ever been a part of," the coach said. "As we [got] through the summer, I honestly told him I didn't think it was going to happen. As we got closer to the year, ... and we started to see this start to transform and take some traction, then he communicated, 'Coach, would you save me a scholarship?'"
"He came back here because he loved being a Red Raider, and then ultimately I think that's the way it works," McCasland added. "You get rewarded for investing in people that you love, not because it's for money or for fame or for whatever the reason ... so give Darrion the credit for all that."
Williams is a part of a 31-player suit that granted players a fifth year of eligibility through a temporary injunction just this week, the latest chapter in an oftentimes confusing legal situation that has become the norm across basketball and football.
Atwell and Stillwell are involved in similar, but separate court cases seeking an extra year of eligibility.
Where Donovan Atwell can be even better in Year 2 with Texas Tech
Last season, Atwell shot 45.8 percent from 3-point range on a career-high 8.4 attempts per game. The All-Big 12 Honorable Mention set Texas Tech's 3-point record with 130 makes last season.
His marksmanship was best seen when it mattered most. Atwell hit a single-season Big 12 record 81 triples in conference play at 47.9 percent shooting.
"Donovan Atwell is one of the most consistent winners I've ever been around, and obviously his efficiency numbers. He's a leader in Big 12 threes and Texas Tech 3-point leader, and his percentage was crazy," McCasland said.
Atwell finished the year third nationally in 3-point percentage and second in made 3-pointers. McCasland believes there's still another level to his game, beginning on the other side of the floor.
"But where Donovan keeps growing is what he does defensively, and everybody saw it. He can do it at the highest level, and so you know, having Donovan here, I think is a real foundation to what we're doing. His approach every day is special, and I'm thrilled he's out here."
Atwell, who took part in Senior Day festivities last year at Tech, went undrafted in the NBA Draft, competed on the Chicago Bulls Summer League roster, but never signed a professional contract. That latter point is what is giving the program hope that he can retain an additional year to play in college amid the NCAA's new five-for-five rules.
“There’s plenty of people that want to make it a business,” McCasland continued about roster building, “but when we get in that locker room, we want it to be about us together, us winning because of each other… So we leaned into — how do we get people that really want that?”
'Best Player in College Right Now'
In order for the Red Raiders to truly hit their peak this season, they must have their star forward on the floor.
Although McCasland was initially skeptical of Toppin's availability this season after he suffered a torn ACL midway through last year, the tone now is that Toppin will play, at some point, this upcoming season.
"Honestly, I don't ask," McCasland said about Toppin's intended timetable to return. "The reason why I don't ask is because I trust our medical staff. [Sports Medicine director] Mike Neal is unbelievable. We've gone through every injury possible together - and JT Toppin wants to play, so don't get that confused on that part. If there's anybody that wants to be out here, watch him on the sideline in practice, and he wishes he was playing. I'm not rushing it in any way, shape or form."
"We're trying to win this season as if he's not playing, knowing that any time you add JT, he's the best basketball player in college right now."
