Texas Tech is in the mix for a name that still carries real weight in Texas basketball circles.
Malik Olajuwon, the son of Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon, has trimmed his list to six schools, and the Red Raiders are still alive. The other programs in the hunt are SMU, Virginia Tech, TCU, Minnesota, and Kansas State.
Olajuwon is listed by 247Sports.com as a 4-star prospect and the No. 147 player in the 2027 class. He’s also ranked as the No. 24 shooting guard in that group. The 6-foot-4 Sugar Land, Texas native is a wing, not a post player like his father.
Hakeem Olajuwon’s resume needs no introduction around the state. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA Champion, and an NBA MVP with the Rockets. He played 17 of his 18 NBA seasons in Houston, averaged 21.8 points per game, and finished with an NBA-record 3,830 career blocked shots.
For Texas Tech, the timing fits. The Red Raiders are going to have to restock the guard spot after this season, and the 2026-27 group is loaded with players who may not be around long. Donovan Atwell, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Cruz Davis are all seniors, though Gibbs-Lawhorn and Davis could each have two years in Lubbock under the new 5-for-5 eligibility rule in college athletics.
There is some longer-term hope already on the roster, too. Dakari Spear and Amari Bennett are freshmen, and if both are ready for the Big 12, Tech could be looking at a stronger backcourt future after this season.
But in the modern transfer-heavy game, nobody can assume much of anything about roster continuity. That’s why landing talent through both the portal and the high school ranks matters so much.
If the Red Raiders can close on Olajuwon, it would be a notable early win for the 2027 class and a familiar name for fans who know exactly what that last name has meant in Houston and across Texas.
In Other News...
TCU Enters 2026 With An Offensive Shift Texas Tech Should Watch
TCUs offseason has taken a noticeable turn under Sonny Dykes, who has reworked the offense in a direction that looks more pro-style and a little less like the version the Red Raiders have seen in recent years. The Horned Frogs brought in Gordon Sammis as offensive coordinator, and the change comes with an NFL flavor that will be worth tracking for a Texas Tech team that has to deal with them in conference play.
The quarterback room adds another layer to the adjustment, with Harvard transfer Jaden Craig positioned to lead the unit after Josh Hoover moved on to Indiana. TCU is sorting through a new identity while building toward its season opener against North Carolina in Dublin, and for Tech, the bigger question is how quickly this revamped attack settles in once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]
Brenden Jordan Is Holding Together A Texas Tech Secondary In Flux
As Texas Tech sorts through its safety combinations early in the season, Brenden Jordan has become one of the most important steadying forces on the back end. The senior has already appeared in 40 games across three seasons, and that kind of experience matters for a secondary trying to find its footing while new pieces are being mixed in around him.
Jordans value goes beyond reps alone. He is the defensive player receiving in-helmet communications and relaying the calls, a role that puts him at the center of the operation and asks him to keep everyone lined up and calm. Coaches and teammates have pointed to his versatility and leadership as the Red Raiders work through the early uncertainty at safety, with Jordan helping hold the unit together while the rest of the depth chart settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech May Need One Position Group To Carry The Offense Early
With the quarterback picture still unsettled, Texas Tech has a position group that could help steady the offense early: the running backs. Cameron Dickey and JKoby Williams are already in the mix, and the Red Raiders have reason to believe that backfield can do more than just take pressure off the passing game. If the offense is going to find its footing quickly, this is the unit that may have to set the tone.
Quinten Joyner adds another layer to that equation now that he is back healthy after missing last season with an ACL injury. His return gives Texas Tech another option in a group the Red Raiders are likely to lean on heavily, and the timing matters with uncertainty still hanging over the offense. A dependable ground game would not solve every issue, but it could be the piece that keeps Texas Tech moving while the rest of the picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]