BYU is getting a big boost for the remainder of the season as Abdullah Ahmed announced he will make his season debut Monday versus Eastern Washington. He will be a sophomore this season.
Ahmed enrolled at BYU for Winter Semester
and is eligible for the remainder of the year now that Fall Semester is finished. KJ Perry is also enrolled with the team, but must redshirt this season due to NCAA academic rules. I reported December 11 that Ahmed was trending to play this season and that Perry must redshirt.
Ahmed being able to play is a boon for BYU this season. Keba Keita is BYU’s starting center and Khadim Mboup has been great off the bench as a backup four and five, but Ahmed gives BYU additional size and experience that will serve BYU well as they compete for a national championship. Ahmed is a 6-foot-10 Center with a 7-feet-2.5 inch wingspan who is a rim runner on offense and rim protector on defense. Last season for the Westchester Knicks in the G-League, Ahmed averaged 4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 18 minutes per game.
Ahmed missed BYU’s first 12 games, but is able to play the final 19 regular season games and beyond. BYU has struggled at times against teams with bigger front courts, namely UConn and the first half versus Clemson. Ahmed gives proven experience who will be able to guard big bodies and give BYU additional interior defense. Khadim Mboup isn’t a proven shooter yet, but Kevin Young has said his most natural and long-term position is at the four. With Ahmed on board, but can work various lineups against various teams. Arizona is a team that sticks out. The Wildcats are the #1 team in the country and have one of the top front courts in college basketball. With Ahmed, BYU can run various lineups off the bench with Ahmed at the five, Mboup at the four, and Dybantsa at the three to give BYU size and length to rebound and matchup with bigger frontcourts. One of my bigger concerns for the team was how BYU would be able to matchup with big bruising frontcourts like Arizona, Houston, and even a Michigan in the NCAA Tournament, and Ahmed certainly helps plug that gap.
Sources have told me that Ahmed has looked very impressive the past month since he has come to Provo. He’ll need to get up to speed to learn KY’s system and gain chemistry for teammates, but fortunately for BYU he has one remaining non-conference and a softer start to Big 12 play to acclimate. BYU begins Big 12 play January 3 at Kansas State, and the first four games is the softest part of the schedule.
Keba Keita is indisputably BYU’s starting center, but Ahmed gives BYU much needed depth and size which will come in handy against some of the top teams BYU will and could play this season. Long term, he is the early favorite to be BYU’s starting center next season when Keba Keita graduates.
