JT Toppin announces decision to return to Texas Tech for 2025-26 season

Texas Tech forward JT Toppin has made his decision regarding the 2025 NBA Draft. He’s forgoing entering his name, and will be returning to the Red Raiders for the 2025-26 college basketball season.

Toppin, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, announced the news via his Instagram account. He transferred to Lubbock prior to the 2024-25 season from New Mexico, and he immediately began to blossom into an incredible player under Grant McCasland’s tutelage.

During 33 games with the Red Raiders, Toppin averaged 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Texas Tech made it all the way to the Elite Eight during the 2025 Men’s NCAA Tournament, but they fell to the eventual champions in devastating fashion, as Florida erased a major deficit to end Texas Tech’s season.

It was a highly-successful first season for JT Toppin with Texas Tech, and it’s evident the Red Raiders will have a shot at greatness with him returning to the program for another season. Time will tell how high they can climb, but the forward will be looking for more in Lubbock this time around.

More on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 2025 NBA Draft

While JT Toppin is returning to Lubbock, his teammate Darrion Williams will declare for the NBA Draft. There’s a caveat though, as Williams will maintain his college eligibility, according to his agent Aman Dhesi via Jonathan Givony of ESPN, entering the transfer portal as well to maintain flexibility and assess the college landscape when the withdrawal deadline draws near.

According to college basketball analytics expert Evan Miyakawa of EvanMiya.com, Williams instantly becomes the best player available in the transfer portal. If he stays in college, the superstar would be an instant difference maker for whatever team across the country he chooses to play for.

Williams earned first team All-Big 12 honors this year, while averaging 21.0 points per game in NCAA Tournament play. He poured in a season-high 28 points in a win over the Drake Bulldogs in the second round. The junior from Sacramento, California has played 100 games in his career, totaling 1,140 points, 674 rebounds, 295 assists, and 128 steals.

As a sophomore, Williams led the Red Raiders with nine double-doubles and 7.5 rebounds per game. He averaged 11.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per outing. He started all 18 Big 12 games, finishing with 13.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in Big 12 play. Williams erupted for a career-high 30 points in a 79-50 win over No. 6 Kansas, finishing 52.3% from three-point range.

— On3’s Wade Peery contributed to this article.