Abdullah Ahmed, BYU basketball’s G-League quitter, has formally joined the transfer site following what was possibly one of the program’s most perplexing and difficult seasons.
When former G-Leaguer Abdullah Ahmed joined Kevin Young and BYU basketball, very few people knew what to expect. I mean, as the closest thing to an NBA player without being one, Ahmed’s arrival promised to strengthen the front court of a basketball team that was obviously short in depth behind 6’9 senior center Keba Keita.
So BYU fans were salivating over the defensive powerhouse Kevin Young had put in mid-season to support his squad’s star trio of AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders, and Robert Wright III, a 6’10 shot-blocking specialist from the NBA’s minor leagues. Fantasy about this squad’s potential began to soar to unprecedented heights, as the college basketball world wondered what might derail this burgeoning powerhouse.
Yes, he was a excellent shot-blocker, with 1. 4 blocks in just over 12 minutes per night being a stunning figure in a vacuum, but he failed to add value in almost every other area on the court. He averaged fewer than three rebounds per game and was often in foul issue, making reckless swipes or finding himself in an awkward spot on the defensive end. He was not a reliable big man to step in when Keita exited the game. Even freshman Khadim Mboup, who is now quite restricted offensively, became a much more appealing option at the five as the season progressed.
He was an offensive nonentity, scoring only 1. 2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, which is unacceptable for a player of his height and position. His production at the foul line deteriorated, with a 41. 7% success rate. To put it in context, that statistic is lower than Shaquille O’Neal’s all-time low in a single season, which was 42. 2% from the line.
If you shoot free throws worse than Shaq, you must excel in other areas. Ahmed just wasn’t.
In the first year that NBA G-League players tried their hand at collegiate basketball, it became obvious why they left a higher league. Let’s simply say that… A player does not seek out lower competition because they are dominant at a higher level. BYU basketball learned the lesson the hard way with Ahmed.
Best of luck on your next trip, Abdullah. Hopefully, you will make progress in the following years.
