JT Toppin shows he's still a national player of the year candidate after delayed season debut for Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas -- The wait for Texas Tech forward JT Toppin to get back on the court after turning down the NBA in the offseason was longer than anticipated. A few days after a lower body injury kept him out of No. 10 Texas Tech's season-opening win against Lindenwood on Monday, it didn't take Toppin long to show he's ready for the 2025-26 season in Friday's 98-77 win against Sam Houston.

Toppin won the opening tip for the Red Raiders and scored his first layup 16 seconds into the game. He quickly blocked a shot, grabbed a rebound and powered through for another layup. Even as Sam Houston ran a few impressive offensive sets to keep the game close for a half, Toppin's gravity wore the Bearkats down. 

"I was a little winded, just first game," Toppin said. "But it was exciting to get back out there and share the court with my teammates." 

Hard to stop Toppin

If Toppin's performance was a diminished version, Texas Tech's potential is limitless. Toppin finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. He added four assists, three steals and a block. But most dangerous, he was relentless attacking the basket. 

Sam Houston threw several bodies at Toppin across the floor, but none were able to contain him. Toppin was fouled 13 times and helped foul out two of Sam Houston's players. He shot 10 of 16 on 2-point attempts, even as he tried to stretch his range out to the 3-point line. 

Later in the game, he started settling down and whipping passes from the mid-post out to open shooters. His four assists matches his season high from the 2025 season; a 30% assist rate in the game tripled his previous season mark. 

"Let's not take it for granted," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "He's gotten better and will keep getting better… Before his injury, he was bringing up the ball in transition. Passes he was making out of the post tonight, he was making in transition. His ball handling is tight. That's where he's improved the most." 

In their first game with all the pieces available, the Red Raiders were sloppy for stretches on defense. The Bearkats had 18 offensive rebounds and connected on half of their 3-pointers in the first half, which opened up drives to the basket. 

However, point guard Christian Anderson and Toppin were steadying forces in the second half for the roster. Newcomer Donovan Atwell was also tremendous, hitting six 3-pointers, with several coming off passes from Toppin and Anderson. The duo had 11 combined assists, matching the number Sam Houston produced across the game. 

Red Raiders thinking big

Expectations have been high for Texas Tech heading into a heralded season. Toppin was projected as a potential first round NBA Draft pick, but turned down the draft after the Red Raiders made a strong financial offer for him to stick around. The program also retained Anderson and landed a stacked portal class. 

Three of Texas Tech's five starters against Sam Houston were newcomers, while Big 12 Newcomer of the Year LeJuan Watts came off the bench. 

This weekend is also a big one for the athletic department. Texas Tech's football team hosts No. 7 BYU in one of the school's most high-profile matchups ever. Several basketball players came through a pregame campout at "Raiderville" to hand out pizzas, sign autographs and take pictures with fans. The 2025-26 school year marks perhaps the most pivotal in Texas Tech history, and a transient basketball roster has felt the pressure. 

The win was only a first look of what Texas Tech can accomplish, especially as the roster gets healthier. But if Toppin plays like the First Team All-American that he is, the Red Raiders will be tough to stop. A road trip to No. 17 Illinois on Tuesday is an early proving ground. 

"I don't think we've practiced as a whole enough for us to be at our best yet," McCasland said. "We've got the right pieces. We've just got to keep getting better."