Richmond hoop star Fardaws Aimaq has sights set on NBA next season


The 6-foot-11 center said he’ll play for Texas Tech — transferring from Utah Valley — if he opts out of the NBA Draft to return to school for his junior season

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Richmond’s Fardaws Aimaq has declared for the NBA Draft after a second straight dominant NCAA campaign, but the 6-foot-11 center has a new landing spot if he opts to return to school for his junior season in the fall.

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The former Steveston-London standout announced Friday that he’ll play for the Texas Tech Red Raiders next year if he’s not in the NBA. He entered the NCAA transfer portal after averaging 18.9 points, 13.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for the Utah Valley Wolverines, and picked Texas Tech from a final five group that also included Washington, Gonzaga, Iowa and Texas.

Texas Tech went 27-10 last season and lost 78-73 to Duke in the NCAA national tournament’s Sweet 16. That’s the third time since 2018 that they’ve made the Sweet 16, highlighted by their championship game loss in 2019. They’ve added four transfers so far this off-season.

Utah Valley went 20-12 this past season and finished up in the Western Athletic Conference playoffs.

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“If I come back, I think they can transform me into a lottery pick,” Aimaq, 23, told ESPN of Texas Tech. “They can help me with the way they play defense, and they have one of the best strength coaches in the country, who will have my body NBA-ready by November.

“I think I’ll bring something they have not had. Versatility as a 7-footer, can shoot, dribble and pass and also help them on the defensive side of things. With the pieces they have coming in, I think they can really help me reach my full potential and we will be a top-five team.”

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Aimaq told ESPN that he was “50-50,” on staying in the draft. He put his name on him in last year initially, but opted out and returned to Utah Valley. In 2020-21, Aimaq led the country in rebounding at 15.0 per game while also averaging 13.9 points for the Wolverines.

“I think I have a chance to shock some people,” Aimaq said of his NBA chances. “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.”

The NBA Draft is June 23. The draft combine is set for May 16-22 in Chicago and underclassmen who have declared have until June 1 to withdraw and return to school.

Texas Tech would be Aimaq’s third NCAA stop. I have played at Mercer before transferring to Utah Valley.

Utah Valley coach Mark Madsen, who was a center on the Shaquille O’Neal Los Angeles Laker teams, tweeted out his congratulations to Aimaq on Friday, explaining: “I cannot thank you enough for your professionalism and work ethic from the first day you set foot on campus at @UVU. Texas Tech is getting a worker.”

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