Could Texas Tech's Donovan Atwell Earn a Spot in 2026 NBA Draft?

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are in the midst of another strong campaign on the hardwood.

Grant McCasland's team is 15-4 on the season, and has won eight of its last nine games with the only loss coming on the road at the hands of Houston. During that stretch, TTU has knocked off Duke and BYU, proving its spot among the best teams in college basketball.

The Red Raiders have been led by potential first-round pick JT Toppin and NBA Draft hopeful Christian Anderson, but another player could be earning a spot on NBA Draft radars.

Donovan Atwell has logged multiple strong performances, including a 21-point outing in Texas Tech's most recent win at Baylor. Atwell added 3 rebounds, an assist, a block, a steal and zero turnovers while shooting 7-of-10 from the field with each of his attempts coming from beyond the arc.

In the Red Raiders' previous win against BYU, Atwell didn't have a big performance on offense, but put together an impressive defensive performance against Cougars' star and potential No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa.

Dybantsa shot 6-of-17 from the field against Texas Tech, in large part due to Atwell guarding the standout freshman.

After spending the first three years of his collegiate career at UNC Greensboro, Atwell transferred to TTU, where he has become a regular starter. The senior entered the Red Raiders' contest against Baylor averaging 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 41.9% from the field and 41.1% from 3-point range on 7.8 attempts per game.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Atwell has good size on the wing and could be a solid two-way player at the next level. A strong defender and 3-point shooter, the Huntersville, North Carolina, native's skillset could be valuable at the next level.

While he likely won't be a first-round pick, players like Will Richard, who averaged similar numbers on Florida's 2024-25 national championship squad have earned spots in the second round. Even Jahmai Mashack, who averaged a career-high 6 points as a senior at Tennessee, was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft due to his defensive prowess.

While Atwell may not be the same level of defender as Mashack, his capabilities on offense coupled with his strength as a defender could be enough to find the TTU standout a place in the 2026 NBA Draft. Throughout Big 12 play, Atwell will have more chances to prove his talent on defense against a handful of NBA Draft prospects.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.