Texas Tech University Athletics
Newcomer Q&A with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn
July 10, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – As summer workouts progress, we sat down with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn for a quick conversation leading into his first season with the Texas Tech basketball team. A transfer from UNLV, Gibbs-Lawhorn signed with the Red Raiders in mid-April after averaging 20.7 points per game last season. Originally from Lafayette, Indiana, he started his collegiate career at Illinois and is coming off a season at UNLV where he made 101 3-pointers and earned All-Mountain West First Team and MW Newcomer of the Year honors.
What do you bring to the team on and off the court?
"I try to bring leadership. I'm a really loving person. I'm always trying to show that I care about the guys on the team. I want to make sure that they know that I'm their brother and vice versa. Just being there for them. On and off the court."
What do you want to develop the most in your game?
"Defense. Working on the defensive side of the ball. I don't feel like I'm bad at it, but also I don't think it's something you can always improve on. Be more scrappy and aggressive with it."
What do you want your teammates and coaches to say about you?
"That I'm a grinder and psycho. I want them to know that I'm respectful, but on the court, I might be a little crazy sometimes but in a good way. Off the court, I want them to say I'm a kindhearted person who cares about everyone."
How do you impact winning?
"I impact winning in just about any way there is. That's what I try to do as hard as I can. Winning takes consistency and leadership every day. Being able to lead your guys on the court and play as hard as you can every game."
What do you think makes you unique as a person?
"I have a lot of talents. I like to fish, I can juggle and good at basketball. I used to play a lot of baseball when I was younger. I feel like I can be a man of many talents if I just work on things to get better at them."
Where did you develop a love for the game?
"My dad was a basketball coach my whole life. I came out of the womb and went to the gym. People always ask me why I never leave the gym now. It's because I've always been in the gym. I don't like leaving the gym."
What adversity are you most proud of overcoming to get to this point in your journey?
"I came through a lot of adversity. Throughout everything, I always had basketball though. It was always there to make me happy. I kept a great head and showed up every day as the same person. Things haven't always gone my way, but I fought through. You can choose to do the wrong thing in hard times but I feel I've done the right things to get to where I'm at now. It's strengthened who I am today because I'm comfortable fighting through anything. I don't back down from challenges. I'm going to emerge and shine through it."
Who is the first person you'd call for advice or to share something good?
"First person I'm calling after a good game is my dad. After a bad game, the first person I'm talking to is Coach Mac. To work on getting it right. My dad is just funny after a good game and makes me happy to talk about what went good. Bad game, talk to our coaches to get input and get back into the gym to get better."
What standard have you set for yourself in your work ethic?
"I've set a very high standard for myself in how hard I work. I hate saying it, because I'm the type of person who would rather show you, but I feel confident that my hard work shows and is not just something I say I do. The standard is high because I always want to work harder. I never want to take a day off or go backwards. It's always about improving and getting better. I only work harder and will always do that."
What do you want to embrace the most about playing at Texas Tech?
"I want to embrace the culture here. I want to live up to the expectations that our fans have for the school. Not just in basketball. I already see the passion that all of our fans have for everything. It's exciting. I want to dive into being a part of a great culture that is all around everything at Texas Tech. I want to give back. I want to be a part of a big culture and make everyone proud."
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