Tag: Fardaws Aimaq

Texas in the mix for Utah Valley star transfer Fardaws Aimaq

One of the most sought-after players in the NCAA transfer portal has narrowed his options down to five schools.

One of the most sought-after players in the NCAA transfer portal has narrowed his options down to five schools.

The former Utah Valley big man Fardaws Aimaq is focusing on Gonzaga, Iowa, Washington, Texas Tech and Texas as potential transfer destinations. Aimaq will also be testing NBA draft while keeping his college eligibility.

The 6-foot-11 center put up huge numbers for the Wolverines in the WAC last season. He averaged 18.9 points and 13.7 rebounds in 32 total starts. Aimaq is coming off back-to-back WAC defensive player of the year awards.

Inconsistent frontcourt play was a weakness for Texas a season ago. The Longhorns received great news with the return of Christian Bishop. Landing Aimaq would provide Texas the flexibility to play Bishop in his more natural position of power forward.

Texas’ roster faces lots of uncertainty with several players having decisions to make about their futures. Aimaq would be a huge piece of the puzzle for the 2022-23 season.

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Texas basketball is in the mix for top transfer Fardaws Aimaq

Aimaq is the best center in the transfer portal.

Texas’ loss to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA tournament a few weeks ago was the epitome of what the Longhorns struggled with all season.

On the offensive side of the ball, Texas often settled for midrange jumpers or threes and didn’t have a post presence that could hang down low. Tre Mitchell was the closest thing the Longhorns had to that, but he took a personal leave of absence and left the team.

Defensively, the Longhorns were exposed by three point shooting and teams that had a skilled big man. We saw it at the beginning of the season when Drew Timme of Gonzaga scored 37 points, and it continued to plague Texas the rest of the way. Purdue big men Zach Edey and Trevion Williams combined for 33 points en route to sending the Longhorns packing.

Although Texas’ 2023 class features two McDonald’s All-Americans and another four-star player, it does not include a big man. This means Beard and the Longhorns will have to raid the portal again. On the bright side, they recently received good news that they are in the mix for the best center in the portal.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reported that Utah Valley’s Fardaws Aimaq has his sights set on a handful of programs and the Longhorns are one of the lucky schools. Aimaq is the No. 4 overall player in the transfer portal and is considering Kentucky, Gonzaga, Texas Tech, Arizona and Texas among a few others.

Here is 247Sports’ breakdown of what Aimaq brings to the table.

While there are other potential big men to target in the portal, none are as polished or dynamic as Aimaq. He can stretch the floor in a pick and pop scenario, as he shot an impressive 48.6% from three on 40 attempts. He would give Texas a great option on the post as we saw both the teams in the national championship game relied on their big men.

5 names Dana Altman and the Ducks should pursue in the transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks roster is currently in flux, but should they pursue the transfer portal here are five early names to consider.

Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks are heading into an offseason with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the current roster. Today’s transfer portal era, along with the added year of eligibility for many players due to COVID-19, makes it very difficult to get a sense of what next year’s roster will look like.

Is Will Richardson going to return for one more go-round in Eugene? Will N’Faly Dante test out the draft waters? Will transfer talents like De’Vion Harmon and Quincy Guerrier look elsewhere after missing out on the NCAA Tournament? What about bench players like Franck Kepnang, Rivaldo Soares, and Nate Bittle?

At this point, the only roster change known for coach Altman’s squad is that  big man Isaac Johnson has entered his name into the transfer portal. Until there is a firm update on guys like Richardson, Dante and others, it will be hard for this team to seriously investigate the talent available on the transfer portal.

However, the Ducks could absolutely use the portal to their advantage again this offseason, like they’ve done with guys like Harmon and Guerrier.

So, while we don’t know exactly where Oregon’s needs will be next season – and we’ve only seen a small handful of players enter the portal – this is far from a comprehensive list of players Oregon could try to get in the green and yellow next year.

Instead, this is just a look at one player at each position who would be a good fit in Eugene next year – should Altman and company have a need at that spot:

Florida basketball can retool quickly with this transfer portal target

This highly sought men’s basketball transfer portal target could quickly accelerate the rebuild in Gainesville.

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.

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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Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.

Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.

Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.