Stephanie Okechukwu Will Make History as WCBB's Tallest Player After TTU Commitment

The Texas Tech women's basketball team bolstered its roster with a new addition on Thursday.

Per Shelby Hilliard of On3.com, the Lady Red Raiders received a commitment from Stephanie Okechukwu, a prospect out of Nigeria who will be the tallest player in women's college basketball history at 7'0".

Hilliard noted that Okechukwu "is expected to be added to the roster as a mid-season addition pending NCAA approval," and an official announcement from Texas Tech is expected to come later on Thursday.

Okechukwu reportedly was previously set to attend West Virginia at the start of the 2025-26 season. In addition to playing in her home country of Nigeria, she's also played in the Philippines and Japan.

Texas Tech is off to a 15-0 start and has risen to No. 21 in the AP Top 25. A win over Arizona (9-4) on Saturday would set a new record for the best start in program history.

The addition of Okechukwu bolsters a front line for a Lady Raiders team currently led by its backcourt. The trio of guards Snudda Collins, Bailey Maupin and Jalynn Bristow all average 14 points per game, while the 6'2" Bristow leads the team with 2.1 blocks per game. Okechukwu should make the Texas Tech defense even more formidable.

While midseason additions have become a point of controversy in the NCAA, Okechukwu has no prior college basketball experience and has never been drafted or played in the WNBA, so she should have no issues being approved to join the Lady Raiders' roster.