Texas Tech University Athletics
Watts selected as Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year
October 16, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – Texas Tech redshirt junior LeJuan Watts has been selected as the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after earning All-WCC Honorable Mention last season while playing at Washington State.
Watts, who is the fourth Red Raider in program history to get the preseason newcomer recognition, is coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 rebounds. He recorded nine double-doubles at Washington State and also had a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Santa Clara. Watts scored a career-high 24 points against San Francisco and had a career-best 14 rebounds against Idaho in his only season with Washington State.
A Fresno, California native, Watts began his collegiate career at Eastern Washington where he redshirted during the 2022-23 season before earning 2023-24 Big Sky Freshman of the Year. As a redshirt freshman, Watts averaged 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Watts, who is a 6-foot-6 forward, enters his first season at Texas Tech having already recorded 768 points, 385 rebounds and 203 assists in his career.
His selection as Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year is the fourth in Tech's history following Marcus Santos-Silva (2020-21), Chris Clarke (2019-20) and Charles Burgess (2006-07).
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