Texas Tech was one of the best teams in college basketball during the 2025-26 season, led by J.T. Toppin and Christian Anderson. While the season ended on a sour note due to a Toppin injury, the Red Raiders were a legitimate contender for much of the year. Now, both Toppin and Anderson are headed to the NBA Draft — and those are some serious shoes to fill.
Texas Tech’s answer? Two non-power five transfers with a chip on their shoulder and the ability to get a bucket whenever they want — Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn out of UNLV and Cruz Davis out of Hofstra. Both averaged over 20 points per game at their respective schools last season. This backcourt is going to be one of the most entertaining in the country.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn’s path to stardom was anything but straightforward. He spent his first two seasons at Illinois under Brad Underwood, averaging 4.3 points per game over 63 games on just 11.4 minutes per night. Rather than accept a limited role in a power five program, Gibbs-Lawhorn made the calculated decision to transfer to UNLV and seek a bigger opportunity — and he delivered in a major way. He averaged 20.7 points per game on 49.7% shooting from the field and 41.4% from three, earning First Team All-Mountain West honors in the process. It was a brilliant move: step down a level, prove yourself, and return to the power five on your own terms. Now Gibbs-Lawhorn gets that chance at Texas Tech.
Cruz Davis has had one of the more remarkable journeys in recent college basketball memory. It started at Iona in 2022, where he played for Rick Pitino and averaged 6.5 points per game as a freshman. When Pitino made the move to St. John’s, Davis followed — but his time there was derailed before it ever got started. Davis broke a finger in practice, lost feeling in his left hand as a result, and was forced to take a medical redshirt season. It was a brutal setback for a young player still trying to find his footing.
The turning point came when Davis transferred to Hofstra. As a junior in the Coastal Athletic Association, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game — announcing himself as a legitimate offensive weapon and stat-sheet stuffer. He returned for his senior season and took it to another level entirely, averaging 20.1 points per game and earning CAA Player of the Year. Davis had found his home, maximized his opportunity, and is now ready to prove himself at the highest level.
Now, Gibbs-Lawhorn and Davis share the same destination and the same goal — win at the power five level. Two experienced, high-volume scorers who know what it is like to struggle, adapt, and ultimately thrive. Their stories are a reminder of one of the transfer portal’s most under appreciated qualities: sometimes players simply need the right situation, and the portal gives them the chance to find it. Both Gibbs-Lawhorn and Davis had to travel unconventional roads to get here, but they arrive at Texas Tech battle-tested and motivated.
The 2026-27 Red Raiders are going to be one of the most exciting teams in college basketball. This backcourt experiment has all the makings of a success story.
