Work begins for Tech Basketball
June 02, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – This time of year is about positive energy. Commitment. Progressive development and growth.
Fresh off an Elite Eight appearance, the Texas Tech Basketball program is back on campus and working towards the 2025-26 season. There are familiar faces and newcomers who arrived in the weight room this morning, met with enthusiasm by strength and conditioning coach Andrew Wright and his staff. There's a saying on a wall, "Toughness is Consistency", a reminder that what happens in this room each day leads to "Toughest Team Wins" on the court during the season. The first group on this first day is LeJuan Watts, Leon Horner and Josiah Moseley. Their session begins with instruction of lifts and exercises but also includes the purpose for each. The rotation around stations in the weight room lasts an hour. The second group includes Luke Bamgboye, Marial Akuentok and JT Toppin. The build is in motion.
"We want to make sure we build a foundation of a pyramid the best that we can," Wright said. "When we build the foundation, that will allow us to be able to build the pyramid as tall as we can. We always want to make sure we're the last team standing at the end of the year. The tallest pyramid is indicative of that team."
Toppin returns from a sophomore season where he earned Consensus All-America Second Team honors after averaging 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team before a slew of national honors. His first season included recording 19 double-doubles, highlighted by 41 points and 15 rebounds against Arizona State and four double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament. That success begin at this time last year though, establishing a foundation in the summer and continuing to build throughout the season. He arrived on Monday morning for the first official workouts ready to continue that growth.
"I'm focusing on my upper body," Toppin said. "Get stronger for the season. Last summer working on mobility really helped. It's about getting stronger and ready for the season."
Moseley stepped into the weight room in a similar situation that Toppin did last summer. A rising sophomore, Moseley transferred to Tech after playing his freshman season at Villanova where he played in 30 games. He was named the 2023-24 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year after a senior season at Round Rock Stony Point High School - averaging 22.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game to earn the prestigious honor. On April 23, he officially signed with the Red Raider program, returning to Texas ready to elevate his game. That process started on Monday.
"The main goal is to be most active with my feet, quicker and agile," Moseley said. "The summer is where you develop and get better. I take the summer really seriously."
Horner returns for his sophomore season after playing in nine games as a true freshman at Tech last season. He arrived on Monday ready to take his development during his first collegiate season and the experience of watching last year's success into next season. Horner went through the summer development program last year and understands its importance.
"I want to be faster, explosive and quicker," Horner said. "Putting in extra work. Coach Wright is a very encouraging person. He's always talking to us and making us work harder. I'm ready to take another step. It's time to go get it."
Over the next couple of months, the Red Raiders will have a blend of on-court development and strength and conditioning designed with one goal – build the toughest team that will be ready to win. It will take time, but no moment during the summer will be wasted. On the first day, in small groups and no one watching, the work began. Wright emphasized a pyramid before and after each group began their workouts. This day was about establishing the foundation of the pyramid – no more, no less. Basketball drills and development will begin later in the week, all building blocks with a purpose. Â
"We are focused right now on building muscle mass and developing our body amor that will keep them as durable and resilient as we want to be," Wright said. "These guys are learning what it is to work to the degree we're going to ask them to work. It's going to be a great journey and process of us being able to discover that about each other and the best ways to go about it. Not everyone is the same. We're going to attack it together."
Follow the Red Raiders: Keep up with Texas Tech men's basketball news at TexasTech.com and at the team's social media on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Committed to the work ?? #TTW pic.twitter.com/l0YEiERByY
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) June 2, 2025
