Former Texas Tech star forward Darrion Williams is going back to Lubbock for a fifth season, the school announced Friday.
Williams started his career at Nevada in 2022-23 before transferring to Texas Tech, where he played for two seasons. Williams, an All-Big 12 first-team selection during 2024-25, had his most memorable performance with the Red Raiders when he scored 23 points and helped his team take a late lead against eventual national champion Florida in the Elite Eight in the 2025 NCAA tournament. He played at NC State last season but was hindered by injuries that affected his production.
He entered the 2026 NBA draft but was not selected and did not compete in summer league.
A preliminary injunction granted by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado seemingly cleared the path for players in the 2022 high school class, who were not included in the NCAA's new five-year eligibility rules, to compete for another season.
Williams is also one of 50 athletes who have sued the NCAA in the state of North Carolina to gain an additional year of eligibility.
The NCAA has vowed to fight every case that could open the floodgates for a multitude of athletes to earn spots on football and basketball teams throughout the country just weeks before school begins.
It's unknown how successful the NCAA will be in that mission, but the uncertainty has not stopped premier teams from adding players to their rosters amid the complicated landscape.
Williams, who averaged 14 points and shot 40% from beyond the arc last season for the Wolfpack, would immediately elevate projections for a Red Raiders squad that lost star Christian Anderson and two other players who averaged double figures.
The team recently announced that JT Toppin, a two-time Associated Press All-American, will return at some point next season after he suffered a torn ACL in February. Grant McCasland could have one of the nation's most imposing duos if Toppin can return in time to play a significant portion of the season. In the meantime, Williams is back 18 months after leading the Red Raiders to the brink of their second Final Four appearance.