Texas Tech finds its point guard in transfer Elijah Hawkins

The wait is over, Texas Tech has found a true point guard with Minnesota transfer Elijah Hawkins announcing his intentions to play for the Red Raiders in 2024-2025. Hawkins joins Tech with one season of eligibility after an All-Big Ten honorable mention campaign with the Golden Gophers.

In desperate need of a true ball handler with the departure of veteran guard Joe Toussaint, head coach Grant McCasland dipped into the portal once again to find the soon-to-be-senior Hawkins.

One of the nation’s best pure facilitators, Hawkins finished third in the country in assists per game, averaging 7.5 a night. Hawkins played a single season at Minnesota after spending his first two collegiate runs at Howard.

After entering the portal, Hawkins took an official visit to Lubbock before announcing his decision thereafter.

The Washington, D.C. native brings a bevy of experience, having started in 88 of 93 games in his three seasons. He also has played in the NCAA Tournament when he led Howard to the big dance his sophomore season.

An aforementioned All-Big Ten honorable mention this past season, Hawkins is also well-decorated from his time in the MEAC, having been named the conference’s freshman of the year in 2021-22 and earning first team honors in 2022-23.

Hawkins leaves Minnesota as the owner of three school records: most assists in a game (17), most assists in a postseason game (15), and he became the single season assist leader with 247.

Diving in from a scoring standpoint, Hawkins is a career 11.8 points per game scorer, and he averaged 9.5 for Minnesota last season.

At only 5-foot-11, it is clear that Hawkins is going to be one of, if not the smallest player on the floor at any given moment. Despite his lack of size, Hawkins is a shifty guard who brings a quick twitch off the bounce to find space into the lane.

It is almost a sense of collected chaos when Hawkins has the ball in his hands. While he can look out of control at times, he is a pure floor general who nearly had a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Hawkins does not shy away from contact, which aids him both in his own chances at the rim, as well as facilitating for others around him.

To sum up Hawkins in one word, it is “playmaker.” Hawkins is a capable shooter, though not to the extent of a true marksman from deep. While he can be a scorer if need be, Hawkins’ biggest strength is in his facilitating abilities and that is what makes him so valuable.

A pure point guard by any definition of the term, Hawkins can do it all on the court and he will certainly be able to do whatever is needed of him on this Red Raider team next season.