The Texas Tech coaches were looking for an impact playmaker to come in and score the basketball.
They might have landed the best available player for that role in Hampton combo guard Davion Warren.
Last season, Warren averaged a tremendous 21.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He shot 45.5% from the field, 30.2% from deep and 75.5% from the line. The 21.2 points per game led the Big South conference and were 13th overall in the nation.
Those numbers earned Warren Big South First Team All-Conference honors and a second place finish in the Player of the Year voting.
Originally a Memphis signee, Warren decided to open things up and it was a previous relationship with new Texas Tech assistant Corey Williams that helped the Red Raiders land the talented guard.
"I've been talking with coach Adams and coach Williams. Once I first entered the portal from Hampton, coach Williams was at Arkansas and he recruited me to go to Arkansas. I ended up not going there but we kept a good relationship. Even before when he was at Arkansas I really did want to go to Arkansas but I decided to go to Memphis.
So me and coach Williams have a pretty good relationship and then I built one with coach Adams as well. I pretty much feel like I could come in and help the program get back to where they want to be."
Warren chose Texas Tech over programs such as St. John's, Arizona State, Georgia, Arkansas, Iowa State and several others. At the end of the day it was the opportunity at Texas Tech that made Warren want to become a Red Raider.
"Just the opportunity. The new play style they're installing, being genuinely loved at the school. The coaches love me as a player and as a person and I feel like we can relate to each other. I feel like Texas Tech can get me to where I wanna get to."
Warren, who is listed at 6-foot-6, 210 pounds by Hampton's official site, says he's a combo guard who can help the Red Raiders in several different ways.
"I'd say I'm more of a combo guard. A combo guard who is pretty versatile and can score at all three levels. I can defend, rebound, I'm blessed with the ability to be able to do everything."
Warren becomes the fifth roster addition for new head coach Mark Adams since he took over, joining KJ Allen, Chandler Jacobs, Ethan Duncan and Adonis Arms.
Arms played at Winthrop last season, which just happens to be in the Big South conference as well, and the two have already talked about being teammates.
"I talked with Adonis (Arms). You know Adonis played at Winthrop and we played in the same conference. We actually didn't get a chance to play against each other because of COVID but I talked with Adonis. He felt like it was the right fit for me too, so let's do it."
Warren says he's expecting to arrive in Lubbock on May 28th. Being from Buffalo, NY, he doesn't know too much about the Hub City yet but he's looking forward to learning more.
In the meanwhile, he did get to take a virtual tour and was very impressed by the Womble.
"I don't really know too much about Lubbock. I'm planning on learning about Lubbock but my main goal is focusing on hoops and stuff.
I got a chance to see everything on the Zoom. I liked how well-built the new facility is, just the things they have in there. How much treatment the guys can get and I just like it. It's very different from where I was just at."
After playing two seasons at junior college and two at Hampton, Warren arrives in Lubbock with one season of eligibility remaining. He's looking to make it a special one for the Red Raider Nation.
"Let's Wreck 'Em, let's get to it. I'm gonna play hard. I'm gonna play as hard as I can, I'm gonna give 100% effort, that's what I can promise."
