Christian Anderson Looking To Become 'Best Point Guard in College Basketball'

Texas Tech point guard Christian Anderson has goals to compete with the best as the team enters the season with a "target" on its back

Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

A standout freshman campaign no longer has Christian Anderson flying under the radar. The sophomore guard from Georgia has expectations placed upon him as the Texas Tech Red Raiders look to repeat a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

He is not running from the spotlight; in an interview on "T'd Up with Pierre Andresen," Anderson shared his lofty goals for himself and his expectations for the team heading into the 2025-26 college basketball season.

"Try to be one of the best or be the best point guard in college basketball this year. That's going to be my individual goal," Anderson said.

"I want to be the best point guard in college basketball this year." 🔥

Texas Tech sophomore PG Christian Anderson Jr. talks with @PeeWeeDaPlug about his individual goals heading into the season. pic.twitter.com/vY6uQuXp1k

— ENJ🏀Y (@EnjoyBBall) October 29, 2025

Anderson shared how he plans to reach this lofty expectation — he has been working on his body all offseason and improving his play strength. The guard said he has added about 10 pounds in playing weight, focusing on keeping the weight on by consuming four meals a day.

"He's just got more explosiveness to the way he's moving, and he's big," Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland said earlier in the offseason. "And at that point guard spot, if you can apply physicality and be explosive and score the way he does from distance — I mean, he just really has all the tools, and I think legit he's one of the best guards in the country."

The confidence in Anderson's potential is shared outside of Lubbock, Texas. Anderson was nominated as one of the 20 players for the Naismith Starting 5 - Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List.

This comes after a freshman season in which Anderson averaged 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with eight double-digit scoring games in the last nine regular-season contests.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

However, his lofty personal goals come hand in hand with his desire for team success. Anderson has a team-first mentality and believes that becoming the best version of himself will only bring the team further.

"I think with that goal, it's going to also set up the team to be their best selves, too, because if I'm playing at my highest level, I think the team is going to be at its highest level," Anderson said. "So, I think if I can be the best point guard, it's going to set our team up for success."

After a run to the Elite Eight, Anderson knows he and the team are going to get the best from every team they face as they try to take down Texas Tech.

"We got a target on our back this year, and it's going to take everybody's A-plus effort to come beat us," Anderson said. "So, I expect, you know, teams to be a lot more aggressive coming out against us."

Despite the expectations the Red Raiders face — ranking No. 10 in the preseason AP Poll — the team looks different than last season's squad that went on a postseason run. Eight players played more than 600 minutes for Texas Tech last season; six of them are no longer on the roster.

There are high expectations for some of the top transfer portal additions, including LeJuan Watts and Luke Bamgboye, but they lack one critical asset: tournament experience. That puts Anderson and running mate JT Toppin, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, in more of a leadership role.

"I think the guys from last year, and then a few more guys, are the only guys who's actually been to the tournament," Anderson said. "So, kind of being here a year and seeing what it takes is something that both me, JT, and some of the other returners are trying to hold ourselves to a standard."

"We know what it takes to win and how much the little details really mean. Like, coming off that Florida loss, you have to be perfect in so many ways, and it can be just one possession or just minor details that determine the outcome of a game."

Christian Anderson breakout year 2 at Texas Tech gonna go crazy this year

29/6/6 vs Canada at FIBA U19
🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪pic.twitter.com/XGp2H6Bs65

— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) July 1, 2025

As Anderson continues to improve, he is also looking for ways to set Texas Tech up for success. With another difficult season ahead and the goal of winning the Big 12, the Red Raiders will need to give their all again to reach the same heights as last season.

The Red Raiders' season starts on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local time) at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock as Texas Tech hosts the Lindenwood Lions in their season opener.

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