Texas Tech basketball hosting big-time transfer candidate Joel Ntambwe

It is being reported that the Texas Tech basketball program is hosting UNLV transfer candidate Joel Ntambwe, who would have to sit out the upcoming season.

Chris Beard has plenty of options when it comes to how he will fill the 13th scholarship on his roster this fall. Such is the luxury one is afforded after reaching the National Title Game. And after adding several top high school signees and two of the most coveted grad transfers in the nation, it is being reported that Beard is also considering the prospect of adding a traditional transfer to help round out the Texas Tech basketball roster.

Carlos Silva Jr. of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is reporting that the Red Raiders are hosting UNLV transfer Joel Ntambwe for an official visit this weekend. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound native of The Congo, who grew up in Belgium, averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game as a true freshman while shooting 40.9% from the field.

Hitting 44 of 114 attempts from 3-point range, Ntambwe shot 38.6% from deep in addition to 75.2% from the free throw line. He had 16 double-digit games last season including 31 points against Wyoming and 22 against BYU.

Can confirm UNLV transfer Joel Ntambwe is on his official visit to Texas Tech starting today. The 6-foot-9, 210 pound wing leaves Sunday and would sit a year before three remaining years of eligibility. He’s also declared for NBA Draft.
— Carlos Silva Jr. (@cmsilvajr) May 25, 2019

Unlike recent additions T.J. Holyfield and Chris Clarke, who will be eligible immediately as grad transfers, Ntambwe will have to sit out this season per NCAA transfer rules. What’s more, he has entered his name in the NBA Draft meaning he could have the option of playing professionally next season. Players have until May 29th to withdraw from the draft so Ntambwe’s next week could be full of tough decisions.

Adding Ntambwe to the roster would make perfect sense as he could help fill a spot on the wing in the 2020-21 season after Clarke has departed. Next season, Tech is currently slated to have only two seniors, Clarke and Holyfield, and if Ntambwe is also on the roster and waiting to fill one of those roles on the court, the 2020-21 team could benefit from some tremendous cohesion and consistency as the vast majority of next season’s team will be set to return.

Ntambwe has also reportedly taken a visit to UCONN as he explores his options in the wake of UNLV’s firing of head coach Marvin Menzies. The Rebels went 17-14 this year and missed out on postseason play.

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As a recruit, Ntambwe was unranked by 247Sports.com. UNLV was his only offer but he reportedly had contact with Tennessee, UCLA and Wichita State. That makes his performance as a true freshman all the more impressive as he proved to be one of the bigger surprises in the nation.

Mike Grimala of the Las Vegas Sun had this detailed scouting report from last summer when Ntambwe was set to join the Rebels. It sounds like his versatility and athleticism would be a great fit in Beard’s position-less system and his propensity for pushing the ball up the court sounds similar to what we have heard about Clarke’s game, who is joining the Red Raiders from West Virginia where he was also a key playmaker for his team.

Having to replace five key contributors and eight scholarship players from last season’s team, Beard has been a busy man in the weeks since the end of the season. Since the middle of April, he has added two high school prospects in 4-star wing Terence Shannon Jr. ( a top-100 recruit) and 3-star point guard Clarence Nadolny in addition to Clarke and Holyfield. And obviously, his work is still ongoing as he is looking to add at least one more piece to the puzzle.