Davide Moretti accepted an offer from Italian professional club Olimpia Milano on Saturday, ending his Texas Tech career after three years and leaving an important void of shooting and experience on the Red Raiders’ 2020-21 roster.
Moretti was the only 2018-19 starter that stayed at Texas Tech for the next season, and his departure makes Kyler Edwards the only remaining player that received meaningful minutes during the program’s 2019 NCAA Championship Game run.
Moretti was a limited player, his ceiling lowered by a slight frame and subpar athleticism, but played a vital role for Chris Beard. He nailed 166 3-pointers in his career, and his knockdown shooting gave more space for Texas Tech’s playmakers to operate. Moretti needed little room to launch a 3, so when he spotted up in the corner or on the wing, his defender could not sag off him to help out in the paint.
Moreover, his basketball IQ and history playing for Beard had value for a program that’s relying more and more on younger players. While talented freshmen Jahmi’us Ramsey and Terrence Shannon showed flashes of brilliance, they were also mistake-prone. Moretti made the right passes and rotations, and rarely veered out of control. That dependability came into play late in games, when Texas Tech leaned on his 90 percent free throw shooting to put away opponents.
While he was at his best as a spot-up shooter, Moretti also took over some ball-handling duties: a necessity in an offensive scheme that did not have a true point guard.
He navigated pick and rolls cautiously. Without the ability to blow by defenders for layups, he developed a crafty in-between game, featuring an array of learners and bank shots that allowed him to score and draw fouls without getting all the way to the rim.
Ramsey also turned pro after the season, likely leaving the Red Raiders without their two leading scorers from the 2019-20 season. Ramsey can return to Texas Tech, but as a surefire NBA Draft pick he is unlikely to exercise that option.
Fortunately for the Red Raiders, Chris Beard has brought in reinforcements and more could be on the way. Talented freshmen Nimari Burnett and Micah Peavy should make an immediate impacts, UNLV transfer Joel Ntambwe will be ready to go after redshirting last season, and VCU transfer forward Marcus Santos-Silva will be immediately eligible up front for Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders are also an option for high-scoring Georgetown transfer Mac McClung and 2021’s No. 1 prospect, Jonathan Kuminga. Under current circumstances, neither would be eligible for next season, but McClung can apply for an eligibility waiver and Kuminga has discussed the possibility of reclassifying to be eligible next season. Either player would provide a massive boost.
On their current roster, the Red Raiders have perimeter players who figure to get playing time: Burnett, Peavy, Shannon and Edwards. Each should command the ball, and Moretti’s fit with that group would have been so clean because he doesn’t.
While he had the capability to assume a bigger role, Moretti was content playing off the ball and taking his shots when they came to him. He rarely forced the issue: a must-have trait for a role player. His floor spacing and basketball IQ made him a valuable part of the team when the 3s weren’t going in, and when they were, all the better.
Of course, no one is blaming Moretti for taking a multi-year deal from his home nation, especially with uncertainty clouding the future of college sports in America. The Italian became a fan favorite in Lubbock and hit some huge shots on the most successful team in Texas Tech men’s basketball history. His presence will be missed on the court and in the locker room, as Chris Beard will now have to navigate a roster with no returning seniors for the second straight season.
