Darrion Williams Returns to Texas Tech After One Season Away

LUBBOCK, TX — Texas Tech University men's basketball head coach Grant McCasland announced Monday the signing of forward Darrion Williams, who returns to the Red Raiders after spending last season at North Carolina State University.

Williams, a fifth-year forward, led NC State with 14.0 points per game during the 2025-26 season while adding 151 rebounds, 92 assists and 35 steals. He earned All-ACC honorable mention honors after scoring 20 or more points in eight games, including a career-high 32-point performance against UNC Greensboro. He concluded the season with 21 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Texas and shot 40.4% from 3-point range, making 78 3-pointers in 33 games.

Williams previously played two seasons at Texas Tech after beginning his collegiate career at University of Nevada, Reno.

During the 2024-25 season, Williams earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists while helping lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA Elite Eight. He averaged 21.0 points during the NCAA Tournament, including 28 points against Drake in the second round and 23 points against Florida in the Elite Eight.

As a sophomore in 2023-24, Williams averaged 11.4 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game. He recorded nine double-doubles and earned All-Big 12 third-team and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team honors. One of his top performances came in a home victory over then-No. 6 Kansas, when he scored 30 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting performance from the field.

Over four collegiate seasons, Williams has totaled 1,601 points, 825 rebounds, 387 assists, 163 steals and 14 double-doubles. During his two seasons at Texas Tech, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

A native of Sacramento, California, Williams was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year at Nevada in 2022-23 after averaging 7.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Before college, he earned Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year honors at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.

Texas Tech is coming off its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under McCasland after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 23-11 record. The Red Raiders have compiled a 74-31 record during McCasland's three seasons and earned a program-record four victories over Top 10 opponents last season.

Williams becomes the seventh newcomer on Texas Tech's 2026-27 roster, joining transfers Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Cruz Davis, Damarion Dennis and Jamichael Stillwell, along with freshmen DaKari Spear and Trey Hall.