The next chapter in Christian Anderson’s basketball journey is officially underway. After a breakout sophomore season at Texas Tech that rewrote parts of the Red Raiders record book, Anderson has earned an invitation to the 2026 NBA Draft Combine. The combine runs from May 10–17 in Chicago as he evaluates his professional future ahead of the NBA Draft on June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Texas Tech guard is one of 73 players invited to participate in the combine this year. It serves as a key showcase for NBA front offices featuring interviews, medical evaluations, athletic testing, measurements, and on-court drills. For Anderson, the invitation serves as validation after emerging as one of the nation’s premier point guards during an All-America campaign in Lubbock.
In a single season for Texas Tech, Anderson averaged 18.5 points and 7.4 assists. He also shot 41.5% from 3-point range. His 244 assists shattered Texas Tech’s single-season record, while his 108 made 3-pointers ranked second in program history. Anderson also led the Big 12 in assists per game and ranked fifth nationally, while also finishing fifth in the conference in scoring. Anderson earned AP All-America Third Team honors, along with Third Team All-America recognition from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and The Sporting News. He was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team and recognized as the conference’s Most Improved Player after stepping into a full-time lead guard role.
As a sophomore, Anderson solidified his role at Texas Tech, frequently acting as the Red Raiders’ main playmaker. Across his two seasons in Lubbock, Anderson has compiled 983 points, 321 assists, 223 rebounds, and 89 steals in 68 career games. He owns eight career double-doubles and has connected on 179 of 447 career 3-point attempts, a 40 percent clip from beyond the arc.
Anderson’s NBA Draft Combine measurements
The NBA Draft Combine measurements for players often shape early evaluations, especially for guards projected to play lead-ballhandler roles.
Anderson measured:
Athletic testing numbers, including standing vertical leap, max vertical, shuttle run, lane agility, and three-quarter sprint times, had not yet been finalized, however.
What comes next?
The combine represents a critical checkpoint in Anderson’s draft process. Players who enter the NBA Draft early have until 4 p.m. ET on June 13 to formally withdraw from consideration with the NBA. Under NCAA rules, players hoping to preserve collegiate eligibility must withdraw by May 27.
For now, Anderson gets a chance to test himself against the nation’s top draft prospects in Chicago. It’s an opportunity that is well-deserved after one of the most productive individual seasons in Texas Tech basketball history.
This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: Christian Anderson steps into NBA Draft spotlight at combine
Reporting by Lauren Beasley, Red Raiders Wire / Red Raiders Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
