Texas Tech star guard Christian Anderson has established himself this season. Anderson has improved consistently since the beginning, and others are taking note.
The star sophomore guard has won two distinguished honors and awards for the 2025-26 season. Anderson was chosen the Big 12’s most improved player and was recognized with a spot on the All-Big 12 first team.
The Georgia native joins star forward JT Toppin on the All-Big 12 first team. The first team comprises Arizona’s Jaden Bradley, Arizona’s Brayden Burries, Arizona’s Motiejus Krivas, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Houston’s Emanuel Sharp, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson, and Kansas’ Flory Bidunga.
Toppin has been outstanding throughout the season, with him and Anderson serving as the team’s main point of attention. However, Toppin will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after injuring his ACL. He sustained the damage last month in a defeat to the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Anderson is now the Red Raiders’ captain and top player.
The league’s head coaches voted for Anderson, and properly so.
Anderson has been exceptional throughout the season, as his statistics demonstrate. He broke the new Texas Tech single-season assist record of 233 on Saturday. Furthermore, in 30 games and 38. 6 minutes of play, the sophomore has averaged 19. 3 points per game, 7. 8 assists, 3. 8 rebounds, and 1. 3 steals while shooting 48. 1% from the field and 42. 7% from beyond the arc.
His 7. 8 assists per game lead the conference and are third in the country in that category, while his scoring ranks fifth in the Big 12. Anderson has been recognized as a Big 12 Player of the Week three times this season. Furthermore, the 19-year-old was nominated to the Wooden Award Ballot and is on the Naismith National Player of the Year Late-Season Watchlist.
Anderson has recorded eight double-doubles this season and has topped 20 points in 12 games. He scored a career-high 34 points in the season opener against Lindenwood, then followed up with 31 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in a victory over Cincinnati.
He leads Texas Tech with 28 double-figure scoring performances, including his outstanding performance in the regular season finale against BYU. Anderson had 23 points and six 3-pointers in the game.
Anderson was capable of scoring from any position on the field. This season, the sophomore has hit 103 3-pointers, breaking the previous Texas Tech single-season record and is now just behind teammate Donovan Atwell, who has 121 this season.
Last season, Anderson was chosen to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. As a rookie, he averaged 10. 6 points, 71 3-pointers, and 77 assists. Anderson nearly doubled all of his statistics this season, earning him the Most Improved Player award.
Anderson is expected to be selected in the middle to late rounds of this year’s NBA Draft if he chooses to make the leap. First, he wants to take the Red Raiders on a long playoff run.
