Breaking: Tar Heels Announced Three Potential Transfer Targets Ahead Of 2025…..

As of this writing Texas Tech has five players of consequence returning. They are swingman Darrion Williams, shooting guard Chance McMillian, shooting guard Kerwin Walton, small forward Devan Cambridge and power forward Eemeli Yalaho. I’d like to provide some assurance those players will indeed be Red Raiders next season, but if bidders from other programs come along and utter the magic numbers, who knows?

If that quintet sticks around, it appears from this coign of vantage Grant McCasland and his staff will focus primarily on point guards, power forwards and centers. And with the transfer of Pop Isaacs, finding a bucket-getter, probably a combo guard, is now also a high priority.

Based upon the recruiting philosophy McCasland laid down last season, he will go after players from winning programs, and preferably programs that made it to the NCAA tournament.

It also seems clear, given Texas Tech’s defensive struggles this past season, that all players will be evaluated with an eye on defensive effort and potential.

Equally, it is apparent all of Texas Tech’s 2024 signees will be transfers. The program is not known to be seriously pursuing any high/prep school prospects.

There certainly won’t be any shortage of transfer options inasmuch as there are approximately 300 transfers in the portal and the number grows practically by the hour.

In consideration of the above, here are some transfer prospects to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. They all meet at least some of Texas Tech’s presumptive criteria for recruitment.

Ryan Conwell, 6-foot-4, 195, CG, junior, Indianapolis, Indiana (Indiana State): Ryan Conwell is hardly the most exciting or spectacular player in the portal, but there aren’t many fans who wouldn’t be excited to have him join their club. Conwell is a smooth, economical guard who simply makes the right play virtually every time. There’s no sizzle to his game, but also no wasted motion and blown opportunities. As to the specifics, there’s not much he can’t do on the court. Playing for Indiana State’s NIT runner up, Conwell averaged 17 points and six rebounds per game. He shot 48 percent from the floor, 41 percent from downtown on extremely high volume, hit 86 percent of his free throws, and averaged over one steal per contest. His assist total, however, wasn’t particularly high, and he was foul-prone. If Texas Tech is interested in Conwell they had better get moving soon because he has already visited North Carolina State and Indiana–surprise, surprise–is circling overhead as well. Signing Conwell would replace Pop Isaacs’ point production and improve offensive efficiency.

Tobe Awaka, 6-foot-8, 250, PF, junior, Hyde Park, New York (Tennessee): Tobe Awaka, late of Tennessee’s Elite Eight squad, is built like an interior pounder and that’s exactly what he does. Awaka is a master at making himself even bigger than he already is and carving out inside position for paint touches and good scoring opportunities. He has great hands, fielding entry passes cleanly as well as contested passes on the roll. Awaka is also a great offensive rebounder and would replace what Texas Tech loses in that area with the departure of Robert Jennings. Awaka played only 13 minutes per game for Tennessee last season, but was productive in the time he was on the court. He averaged five points and five boards per game, was Tennessee’s second-leading offensive rebounder, and blocked 22 shots. He also shot 59 percent from the floor and 74 percent from the stripe, which was a huge improvement over his freshman season. Awaka had only nine assists against 23 turnovers and will obviously need to improve his floor game. But this is a player primed for a big breakout next season.

Aden Holloway, 6-foot-1, 180, PG, sophomore, Charlotte, North Carolina (Auburn): If Texas Tech pursues Aden Holloway, they will have to bank upon him improving as a scorer because he was pretty bad in that area last season, shooting only 32 percent from the floor and 30 percent from distance on ridiculously high volume given his inaccuracy. (Sound like anybody we know?) However, he started 26 games for a good SEC team as a freshman and there is reason to believe he could improve considerably as a shooter. Even if he doesn’t, however, Holloway could be a huge asset in the floor game. In 2024 he averaged 2.8 assists per contest in limited minutes and had a 3-to-1 assist/turnover ratio. Holloway already knows how to facilitate and run an offense. One other note about Holloway–he was obviously recruited by Bruce Pearl, one of the most volatile personalities in the coaching profession. And Pearl tends to recruit players whose personality mirrors his own. Consequently, were Texas Tech to move on Holloway, they would need to vet him even more thoroughly than most. In the best-case scenario, you get another David Rivers. In the worst, you bring in a locker room wrecker.