Texas Tech basketball: Star transfer Fardaws Aimaq considering Red Raiders

It is transfer portal season in college basketball and we can expect the Texas Tech basketball program to remain one of the most active programs in the nation on that front.  In fact it is being reported that one of the top big men in the portal is considering the Red Raiders, along with a handful of other programs.

Fardaws Aimaq, a 6-foot-11, 245-pound force in the paint is in the portal after spending the last three seasons (one of them a redshirt) at Utah Valley in the Western Athletic Conference.  This past season, he had a breakout season averaging 18.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per game garnering him national attention and making him one of the most coveted players in this year’s portal.

Now, it is being reported by some that he’s narrowed his list of suitors down to five and Texas Tech has made the cut.  On Twitter, Josh Nichols, who runs the account 24/7HIgh School Hoops lists Tech, Arkansas, Washington, Kentucky, and Iowa as the schools Aimaq is still looking into.

What makes Aimaq such an intriguing player is that he does it all on the court.  He’s a career 45.8% 3-point shooter, he’s averaged 3.1 offensive boards per game, he’s handed out 1.2 assists, and he’s blocked 1.2 shots per game during his time as a collegiate.

What’s more, the Vancouver, British Colombia native is a two-time WAC Defensive Player of the Year.  That’s certainly the type of pedigree that would appeal to Texas Tech head coach Mark Adams.

Heading into his second offseason in charge of the Red Raiders, Adams is expected to bring in at least one impact big man via the transfer portal to help offset the loss of players such as 2021-22’s leading scorer Bryson Williams and key reserve Marcus Santos-Silva.  What’s more, Kevin Obanor could also decide to move on and not take advantage of his super-senior year which would leave the Red Raider frontcourt decimated by departures.

Such a scenario would leave redshirt sophomore Daniel Batcho as the only big man on the roster who played any semblance of meaningful minutes this past season.  Thus, Tech is without question going to add some size in the paint this summer and Aimaq would be an ideal fit.

This season, he was second nationally with 27 double-doubles.  Additionally, he led the nation with 10.5 defensive boards per game.

He put up 24 points and 22 rebounds in a win over BYU, 15 points and 15 boards at Washington, and 23 points and 12 rebounds against NCAA Tournament team New Mexico State.  In all, he scored in single digits just once this season, an 8-point showing on the road against NM State.

In recent years, Tech has made it a habit of adding at least one post player via the portal.  In fact, last offseason, Tech added both Williams and Batcho.  The year prior, it was Santos-Silva who joined the program after starting his career at Virginia Commonwealth.  In the summer of 2019, T.J. Holyfield came on board after playing at Stephen F. Austin, and of course, in the 2018 offseason, Tech picked up Tyreek Owens from St. John’s.

Now, Aimaq could follow in those players’ footsteps.  But to land this top transfer, Mark Adams is going to have to beat out some rather stiff competition.