Texas Tech got some good news this week. JT Toppin, the star forward whose junior season ended early with a torn ACL, is expected to be back on the court for the 2026-27 season. The school posted the announcement on social media, and Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports has reported that while there isn’t a specific return date yet, Toppin should be in the lineup at some point this coming year.
Toppin went down on Feb. 17 during a loss at Arizona State. It was a brutal break for a guy who was playing at an All-American level. He averaged 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and shot nearly 55 percent from the field in 25 games, logging over 34 minutes a night. The Red Raiders lost their last five regular season games without him, plus their Big 12 and NCAA tournament runs.
How Bad Did Texas Tech Miss Him?
Pretty bad. They went from a team that looked like it could make some noise in March to one that limped to the finish. Toppin had already been named Big 12 Player of the Year before the injury, and he was the engine of everything Texas Tech did on offense and defense. His ability to score inside, clean the glass, and block shots was irreplaceable. The numbers back that up. He had 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, and he was a 54.8 percent shooter overall. His three-point shot wasn’t great (28.1 percent) but he didn’t need it to be effective.
What This Means for His NBA Future
Toppin is a potential first-round pick whenever he finally enters the draft. He had chances to leave after his freshman year at New Mexico and after his sophomore season at Texas Tech, but he chose to come back both times. That’s rare these days. He transferred to Texas Tech after one season with the Lobos, and the move paid off — he’s now a two-time All-Big 12 guy and the reigning conference player of the year. The ACL injury definitely complicates his draft stock, but scouts liked him a lot before he got hurt. If he comes back and looks anything close to what he was, he’ll still be on NBA radars.
The Red Raiders are obviously hoping he’s 100 percent by the time conference play rolls around. But even a partial season from Toppin would be a huge lift for a team that lost its best player at the worst possible time last year. There’s no word yet on exactly when he’ll be cleared to fully practice or play in games, but the fact that Texas Tech is talking about him being back this season at all is a lot better than the alternative.
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