With NBA Draft deadline looming, Texas Tech could make two massive additions soon
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With the deadline to withdrawal from the NBA Draft set for May 28th, there are two prospects for Texas Tech fans to keep an eye on.
1. Darrion Williams, F
Following a stellar 2024-25 campaign where he averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, Williams entered his name into the transfer portal as well as the NBA Draft. According to Williams, the move was an effort to keep all options on the table as he was deciding on his future. And while he made it clear that his goal is to play in the NBA, it sounds like his struggles last week at the combine could ultimately lead to another year of college ball. In two days of scrimmages, Williams shot 1-9 from the field and struggled to find his rhythm.
Day 2 NBA Combine stat lines of importance to Texas Tech fans:
— Ben Golan (@BenjaminGolan) May 15, 2025
Darrion Williams - 15 minutes, 1/4 FG, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers
Ben Henshall - 13 minutes, 4/7 FG, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover#GunsUp #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/fa2SZtHopm
While a return to college is looking more likely for Williams at this point, is a return to Lubbock in the cards? During his media availability at the combine last week, Williams indicated that he still viewed Texas Tech as a possibility.
"Yeah, I'm open to it," Williams said. "But I want to be full in on the draft. I didn't want to be one foot in and one foot out. I'm fully into it. If I gotta go back, I'll go back. But I want to go to the draft."
Although Williams may be open to a return, the Red Raiders already brought in Washington State transfer forward LeJuan Watts. The redshirt junior out of California averaged 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for the Cougars last season, starting in all 34 games. The addition of Watts, along with the fact that Williams is currently in the portal and going through the draft process, makes it feel like a return to Lubbock is a longshot at best.
2. Ben Henshall, PG
While Williams is a longshot, Australian guard Ben Henshall seems like a more realistic possibility. Like Williams, Henshall is also going through the NBA Draft process. In 32 games during the 2024-25 NBL season, Henshall averaged 9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
By all accounts, the 6-5, 193 pound guard had a solid performance at the NBA Draft Combine last week. During shooting drills, Henshall shot 23/30 off the dribble, 14/25 in spot-up shots, 26/54 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 10/10 from the free throw line. During the combine scrimmages, Henshall averaged 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds.
Alex Toohey, Lachlan Olbrich, and Ben Henshall all impressed at the NBA Draft Combine 📈
— NBL (@NBL) May 17, 2025
Will we see all three of them in the NBA next season? 👀 pic.twitter.com/EyhtbDU8qn
While the draw to the NBA is obvious, Henshall could certainly boost his draft stock by playing a year at the collegiate level. With his size and agility, Henshall could ultimately establish himself as one of the top guards in all of college basketball.
Although Texas Tech could certainly be aggressive with NIL in an effort to fill a need with Henshall, reports suggest the reigning national champion Florida Gators are also in pursuit. Of course, if he decideds to continue his NBA pursuit then none of this matters. But if he does turn his attention toward college, expect Texas Tech to be a real player in this one.
With the NBA Draft deadline of May 28th looming, the Red Raiders should get an answer on Henshall and Williams soon.
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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