Texas Tech University Athletics
Officially Returning/Signed: Donovan Atwell
August 17, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland has officially announced the signing and return of Donovan Atwell who will remain in the Red Raider program as a 5th Year for the 2026-27 season. Atwell established new Texas Tech and Big 12 3-point records last season, earned all-conference honors and helped lead the program to its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Through four collegiate seasons, Atwell has made 341 3-pointers with a 41.5 shooting percentage from beyond the arc and has produced 1,348 points, 331 rebounds, 92 steals and 82 assists in 128 games.
Atwell set a new Texas Tech single-season record with 130 made 3-pointers – shattering the previous program mark of 92 that had stood for nearly 30 years – and also set a new Big 12 record by making 81 3-pointers in conference play. Atwell, who earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team honors, finished the season shooting 130-for-284 (45.8%) from beyond the arc and averaged 13.5 points per game. He led the Big 12 with 3.82 made 3-pointers per game and was second nationally in percentage and total makes from deep. His 81 made 3-pointers (47.9%) in Big 12 play broke the previous mark of 79 by Oklahoma's Buddy Hield in the 2015-16 season.
Atwell played for the Chicago Bulls during NBA Summer League, averaging 10.6 points per game and shooting 48.5 percent on 3-pointers in five games. His summer highlight came with 22 points against Cleveland where he went 6-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Tech's only starter in all 34 games during the 2025-26 season, Atwell scored a season-high 26 points in a home win over Kansas State after going 6-for-9 on 3-pointers and made a season-best seven 3-pointers at Baylor – going 7-for-10 and finishing with 21 points in the road win over the Bears. Atwell made five or more 3s in 12 games, including making six 3s in the first two games of the season and going 6-for-10 in a road win over No. 4 Iowa State where he provided 18 points. A dynamic and consistent player throughout the season, Atwell scored in double figures in 25 of 34 games played and over 20 in five games. He made four 3s and scored 15 points against Akron in the NCAA Tournament First Round win and scored 23 points with six 3s in the regular season finale at BYU.
A Huntersville, North Carolina native, Atwell transferred to Texas Tech after spending his first three collegiate seasons playing at UNC Greensboro. At UNC Greensboro, he scored a career-high 28 points in a game against Chattanooga and had two games where he connected on eight 3-pointers. Among all active players nationally at the end of last season, Atwell finished ranked 10th with his 341 total 3-pointers and with an 89.6 percentage at the free-throw line where he is 129-of-144 throughout his college career.
Texas Tech is coming off its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament under McCasland and a 23-11 overall record. Through three seasons under McCasland, the Red Raiders are 74-31 after a season where the team earned a program record four wins over Top 10 teams. Tech was ranked throughout the 2025-26 season for the first time in program history – ranking as high as No. 10 and finishing the season at No. 21 in the AP Top 25.
With Atwell's retention, Tech is set to have five returners from last year's roster with JT Toppin, Josiah Moseley, Marial Akuentok and LaTrell Hoover remaining with the program. The Red Raiders have now signed 10 players for next season's roster following the additions of transfers Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (UNLV), Cruz Davis (Hofstra), Damarion Dennis (Wyoming), Jamichael Stillwell (UCF) and Darrion Williams (NC State) along with incoming freshmen DaKari Spear (The Colony, Texas – Dynamic Prep), Trey Hall (Crowley, Texas – North Crowley HS), Amari Barrett (Oklahoma City – Millwood HS) and Bassala Bagayoko (Bamako, Mali – Bilbao Basket Spain).
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