Florida basketball was a frustrating ride during the recently concluded season. The team consistently underperformed and nagging injuries to key players Myreon Jones and CJ Felder certainly didn’t help.
Between the coaching change Florida is undergoing and how old the roster was, the Gators are likely in for another offseason of roster churn. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if head coach Todd Golden is able to pull the right players to Gainesville. Reportedly, Florida has already been in contact with a transfer portal target near the top of every school’s must-have list: Fardaws Aimaq.
The center for Utah Valley had a tremendous 2021-22 season, planting himself on the map by averaging a double-double. He lit up Pepperdine in neon with a 34-point performance and dominated the boards against BYU, tallying 22 rebounds, proving he was clearly too much of a player for the Western Athletic Conference.
Aimaq is 247Sports’ top-ranked transfer at this stage, and, naturally, he set his sights on much loftier competition by entering the transfer portal and hinting he intended to test the waters of the NBA draft process. While his status might not last as more players enter the portal, he’s by no means an under-the-radar steal.
Utah Valley's Fardaws Aimaq is a prospect I'm intrigued by. Averaging 19.9 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG, and 1.6 APG this season. I really like his ability to pass it out of the post, he can dominate the glass, has solid touch, and is a capable shot-blocker as well. pic.twitter.com/DaVbicx6ye
— Evan Wheeler (@Evzsz) January 17, 2022
Numerous teams will offer Aimaq an opportunity to play in their colors, so what pitch can Florida make to him?
Golden runs an analysis-driven operation and his offenses at San Francisco were always cutting edge. He was not secretive about the fact his offense was in the coordinator’s hands, which means there will probably be some changes when he hires someone for that role at Florida. He has a clear preference and will no doubt hire someone who prioritizes efficient scoring.
If Aimaq doesn’t go pro, he’ll be looking to prove himself against competition superior to what he faced at Utah Valley. With a premium being put on stretch bigs in the NBA, shooting could be one way for him to separate himself from the pack. The big man hit over 40% of his deep shots last season — an exceptional mark from someone with a 6-foot-11-inch frame, but it was a rate he put up while averaging only 1.25 attempts per game.
Progressive college offenses can make good use of a stretch big, as well. Golden’s offensive coordinator would no doubt scheme up some looks for Aimaq from behind the arc. Continued success on a higher volume of attempts against better defenders would be a clear way to improve his draft value, and if Golden can demonstrate a clear plan to develop Aimaq as a shooter, it may be a big step in the right direction to recruit him.
Honestly, bringing Aimaq on the Gators is a bit of a long shot, but there’s no harm in trying. The potential rewards of having a center on the roster who is a completely opposite type from Jason Jitoboh — the best center remaining in the likely event of Colin Castleton’s departure — far outstrip the opportunity cost of fruitless recruiting efforts.
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