Texas Tech basketball: Red Raiders land transfer Fardaws Aimaq
Just under 24 hours after landing transfer guard De’Vion Harmon from Oregon, Mark Adams and the Texas Tech basketball program struck again in the transfer portal on Friday by securing a commitment from coveted Utah Valley center Fardaws Aimaq. However, Tech still may have to sweat this recruiting battle out.
That’s because the 6-foot-11, 245-pound senior is also still considering his professional basketball options. Thus, we may not know if he will actually suit up for the Red Raiders until the middle of this summer.
There’s no question that Aimaq would instantly make Adams’ team better in 2022-23. This past season, he averaged just under 19 points and 14 rebounds per game while blocking 1.3 shots per outing as well.
That type of productivity in the paint would be a godsend for Tech after seeing 2021-22’s leading scorer, Bryson Williams, graduate. Helping Tech reach the Sweet 16 in March, the former UTEP transfer averaged 14.1 points and 4.2 boards per contest in his lone campaign on the South Plains.
https://twitter.com/FardawsAimaq/status/1520102778802036736?s=20&t=JT2pC8Dc2osTD8Ks3GjYIA
Aimaq is similar to Williams in that he has had multiple stops at the college level prior to joining the Red Raider program. Whereas Williams played for Fresno State and UTEP before becoming a Red Raider, Aimaq has already suited up for Mercer and Utah Valley. But the question remains, will he ever actually don the Double T?
"“It’s 50-50,” he recently told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. “I think I have a chance to shock some people. I’m really going to showcase my shooting and show the work I’ve done on my body the last couple months and hopefully can have somebody take a chance.”"
NBA hopefuls have until June 13 to withdraw from this year’s draft. Thus, Tech may not know for certain if Aimaq will be a part of next year’s team for another month and a half.
One of the nation’s best rebounders, the native of Vancouver, Canada is just what the Red Raiders need to add. That’s because the team is potentially set to lose five of last season’s top six rebounders.
Fortunately, Kevin Obanor, who led Tech in rebounding in 2021-22 at 5.5 boards per game, is coming back for his final collegiate season. He and Aimaq could join forces to give Tech the best rebounding pair of big men in the Big 12, if not the nation. That would be a huge plus for Adams as he again tries to compete for a spot at the top of the conference standings.
This addition gives Tech four transfers this offseason (if you count Jaylon Tyson who joined the program for the spring semester after spending the fall semester at Texas). And with three true freshmen also set to join the roster, spots are filling up fast. In fact, if Kevin McCullar Jr. decides to come back to Texas Tech after entering his name in the NBA Draft and also jumping into the transfer portal, Tech could be down to just one open scholarship remaining should Aimaq forego the professional ranks for another season.
That’s the catch with Aimaq. Will he actually be a collegiate next year or will he head off to try his luck in the NBA? That’s a question that Aimaq himself likely doesn’t know the answer to at this time but what we all know after Friday is that if the uber-talented big man plays college basketball next year, it will be for the Red Raiders.