Grant McCasland provides an update on striker Devan Cambridge’s recovery

One of the most significant offseason developments for the Texas Tech basketball program was the announced return of senior forward Devan Cambridge. Of course, his effectiveness next season will depend on his ability to recover from a knee injury that has forced him to miss all but eight games in the 2023/2024 season.

During a meeting with the media on Tuesday, Texas Tech basketball head coach Grant McCasland was asked about Cambridge and his recovery from knee surgery. Fortunately, he sounded optimistic about the former Arizona State transfer’s progress.

“Devin Cambridge has really made tremendous progress,” McCasland said. “He’s playing in the gym and shooting. He’s not supposed to do too much, but he’s moving well, I mean I think he’s walking in a straight line, and a lot of the things you want to see in terms of strength, he’s right in time to be able to play next season. You never know exactly when that’s going to happen, but I expect we’ll get him out there in the first semester and non-conference play and he’ll be fine. looks excited. looks fresh and it looks great.”

Cambridge’s recovery could be a big aspect of Tech’s 2024-2025 season. If he can return to the form he showed in the eight games he played this season, he will be a huge asset for the Red Raiders.

In the seven full games he played before getting injured, he scored in double figures five times and averaged 10.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Additionally, he was playing his best basketball of the season at the time of his injury, having scored at least ten points in four straight games and scoring 17 and 16 in the previous two games against Michigan and Butler, respectively.

Fans may not remember it because we’ve seen so little of Cambridge, but he could be an incredibly valuable asset to the program. Before going down this season, he not only started as Tech’s power forward, but also played long stretches as Tech’s biggest player on the floor when 7-footer Warren Washington was on the bench.

Despite being only 6-foot-1, Cambridge showed enough athleticism and smarts to guard other teams’ big men. On offense, when playing as Tech’s 5-man, he created serious mismatches by pulling the opponent’s rim protectors away from the goal.

When he was sidelined, the Red Raiders certainly lost some versatility. However, his injury did present an opportunity for one of his teammates.

Through the first seven games of the season, guard Kerwin Walton was a little-used bench piece. He averaged just 8.3 minutes per appearance and never scored more than three points in any game.

However, with Cambridge losing this season, Walton was placed in the starting line-up and would make every start for the rest of the year. In those games, he averaged 9.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

Walton took a step forward as a starter, averaging 46.3% shooting from three-point range while in the starting lineup. He also improved noticeably as a defender, going from a handicap in that regard the season before to a respectable player on that side of the field this season.

It was a case where one player’s setback led to an opportunity for the next player. Now Tech could get the most out of both Walton and Cambridge in 2024-25 and that could make the Red Raiders a deeper and more versatile team considering how different the two players’ games are.

Cambridge won’t have to carry the load next season, especially if Tech adds another impact player on the wing. However, his return to the field could be a huge boost for a team that saw how impactful injuries can be in the Big 12 this past season.