On Tuesday, the Texas Tech basketball program made key additions to its 2024-25 roster. Elijah Hawkins, Grant McCasland and company have secured their starting point guard for next season after receiving a verbal commitment from the Minnesota transfer.
The senior-to-be spent two seasons at Howard University and one season at the University of Minnesota. With the Golden Gophers, he averaged 9.5 points, 7.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
This past season, Hawkins set program records for assists in a season (247), in a game (17) and in a postseason game (15). He finished the season tied for second in the nation with 7.5 assists per game.
The 5-foot-11 Washington, D.C., native doesn't bring much size to the Red Raiders. However, the team has already added some length at the guard position by acquiring Kevin Overton from Drake. He is a 6-foot-5 combo guard who will likely be in the starting lineup next to Hawkins in the backcourt.
Of course, Texas Tech needed to add a ball-dominant point guard this offseason after losing last year's starting point guard Joe Toussaint to graduation. Additionally, with 2023-24 leading scorer Pop Isaacs going to Creighton, the Red Raiders are giving up 7.8 assists per game between those two players.
Hawkins pretty much makes up for it himself. The pass-first guard had 10 or more assists in eight games for Minnesota last season.
As a recruit, Hawkins was an unranked prospect, according to 247Sports.com. He started 55 of 59 games at Howard and helped lead the team to the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
This season, he started 33 games and averaged over 33 minutes per game. He shot 36.4 percent from 3-point range and averaged 3.9 long-range shots per game. He also shot 78 percent from the free throw line.
Currently, the Red Raiders still have five scholarships remaining. The team would be wise to add another guard who can handle the ball, another center and a power forward who can score important points.
But the priority was adding a point guard who could lead the team next season, and McCasland found that in Hawkins. Keep checking back with him at Wreck 'em Red as the next Red Raider team continues to take shape.
