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Texas Tech basketball: Red Raiders should pursue Georgetown transfer center

By Matthew Conner

Mar 6, 2021; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Georgetown Hoyas center Qudus Wahab (34) shoots against Connecticut Huskies forward Isaiah Whaley (5) during the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Georgetown 98-82. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2021; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Georgetown Hoyas center Qudus Wahab (34) shoots against Connecticut Huskies forward Isaiah Whaley (5) during the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Georgetown 98-82. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Georgetown’s 6-foot-11 center Qudus Wahab is in the transfer portal and he’s a player the Red Raiders should try to add to the roster.

The top commodity in the game of basketball is athletic big men.  And that’s what many believe the Texas Tech basketball program is going to be in the market for this offseason.

One player already in the transfer portal that Chris Beard and Co. should pursue is 6-foot-11, 237-pound Qudus Wahab from Georgetown.  As a sophomore this season, he averaged 12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while starting 25 contests.

He played some of his best ball of the season in Georgetown’s improbable run to the Big East Conference Tournament championship.  In four games, he notched 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds on his way to earning all-tournament honors.

Of course, given that post players of this caliber are so hard to find, it is expected that the competition for Wahab will be rather stout.  One school to keep an eye on is Pittsburgh, which is relatively close to Flint Hill Virginia where he played his high school basketball.  In fact, many believe that the Panthers were the runners-up in Wahad’s recruitment out of high school.

In the class of 2019, the native of Nigeria was rated the No. 136 overall player and the No. 24 center.  In addition to Georgetown and Pitt, the 3-star prospect had offers from the likes of UCONN, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech.

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So why is he leaving the Hoyas?  Perhaps it is because, on the Georgetown roster this year, you will find three other centers meaning that attrition was bound to happen.   Now, the question is whether Beard will be interested in adding this transfer who has three years of eligibility remaining.

Remember that there is at least one scholarship available to fill right now because Tech has only one freshman signee set to join the program this offseason, Jaylon Tyson from Plano, Texas.  Of course, the midseason departures of guard Nimari Burnett and forward Joel Ntambwe opened up room for at least one potential transfer to join the program in addition to Tyson.

Also, we know that Beard is almost certain to churn the roster this summer.  That’s something he’s done every year that he’s been in Lubbock and there’s no reason to believe that he won’t follow that script this time around.

Wahab’s recruitment is only just beginning so it will be interesting to see if Tech contacts him in the upcoming days.  They would certainly be wise to do so.

This program has been lacking a rim protector and true center since 2019 when Tariq Owens helped lead the Red Raiders to the National Championship Game.  Since then, the Red Raiders have relied on 6-foot-8 T.J. Holyfield and 6-foot-7 Marcus Santos-Silva as their primary post players in each of the last two seasons and at times, that lack of height has put the Red Raiders at a bit of a deficit (though not as often as many feared).

That’s why Wahab could be one of the missing pieces for this roster.  So as the offseason unfolds, keep an eye on his recruitment because he makes perfect sense for the Red Raiders.

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