Exploring the many paths, both paved and pebbled, for Chris Mack and Louisville basketball to land Georgetown transfer Qudus Wahab.
If you’re like me, the phrase ‘transfer portal’ has become as synonymous with my dopamine releases as the words “smoked wings” or “Thunder Over Louisville”. At every turn, we’re seeing more and more highly productive players from high-profile programs are jumping ship in pursuit of different opportunities elsewhere. Thursday was no different as Georgetown sophomore big man Qudus Wahab entered the portal.
The term “big man” can be taken quite literally in this instance, as Wahab towers at 6’11”, weighing 237 lbs. The center averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg for the Hoyas this season, while having an integral role in their improbable run to the Big East Tournament title.
Without glancing at a stat sheet, anyone can plainly see how Wahab’s size and frame could benefit any team right away, not just Chris Mack’s system at Louisville. I’m here to show you just how snug of a fit he would be on the Cardinals roster while navigating his road to the Louisville basketball program.
Looking at the competition
Anytime a player re-opens his recruitment, you always have to look at the usual suspects from his original recruitment when considering who the said player will likely have on his short list. In this case, its not entirely too complicated.
Wahab took five official visits in late 2018 before ultimately committing to Georgetown in January 2019. However, one of those coaches is no longer at the helm. We’ll get to that momentarily.
The schools he took officials to were – chronologically – UConn, Virginia Tech, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse. He then received two coaches’ visits (Syracuse and Virginia Tech). But prior to all visits, Wahab narrowed down his top 12 schools for consideration. That list minus the schools he visited:
LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Rhode Island, Temple, VCU, and Louisville.
Okay, let’s begin the process of eliminating these guys from Wahab’s list. First, LSU. Will Wade. Nah. Some will say “but he’ll drop a bag”. My rebuttal: if he was going to drop a bag he would’ve dropped one in 2018…OR…Wahab wasn’t interested in a bag. Moving on.
Miami. They expressed interest, but never even offered him. *hands food to customer*
NEXT!
Ohio State. Probably the most intriguing on the latter list. I imagine he had a fairly good relationship with Head Coach Chris Holtmann, but there’s a couple factors here. One, the Buckeyes don’t really run a style that calls for really big guys down low. They only employ three players over 6’8″, and they’ve been rather successful with that type of roster as of late. Also, their leading rebounder, E.J. Liddell, is a 6’7″ sophomore, who Wahab would directly be contending for minutes with for at least the next two seasons.
Rhode Island, Temple, and VCU simply aren’t on a great enough scale to be considered. Wahab is probably looking at the limelight programs. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Crossing off the northeast and the six degrees of Bobby Pettiford
Keep in mind, I don’t think Wahab has a poor relationship with the respective programs we haven’t discussed yet. In fact, I feel that in a couple of cases it could be quite the opposite. You don’t take official visits unless you can possibly envision yourself on that team, on that campus.
One underlying reason that we can confidently cross off Rhode Island from the list is Dan Hurley’s change of venue during Wahab’s recruiting process, going from URI to UConn in 2018. Now, that’s a positive sign for the Huskies, but I wouldn’t take it to the bank.
Hurley’s incoming 2021 class includes a 6’10” stud, and No. 12 overall center Samson Johnson. I’d have to think Wahab will be weary about competing for solid minutes against a high-profile recruit like that for the next 2-3 years. Not to mention, the Huskies may not even want to prioritize Wahab at this point. It’s absolutely on the table though.
As far as Pitt goes, Wahab was introduced to the program by former coach and walking, breathing fiasco Kevin Stallings. ‘Nuff said. Any morsel of interest he would’ve had in being a Panther probably fizzled as he witnessed Jeff Capel go from snagging the reigns to being on the hot seat moving into next season. Doesn’t sound incredibly fun.
Syracuse would be a nice fit for a player like Wahab if that zone defense wasn’t such a staple. When you aren’t able to maximize his physicality, then placing him on Jim Boeheim’s roster is more cute than anything. #ThatsANoForMe
Ah yes. Finally, the rotating transfer portal shuffle between Virginia Tech, Louisville, and Georgetown. AKA The Bobby Pettiford Jr. Effect (not trademarked).
Last week, Louisville basketball signee Bobby Pettiford Jr. announced his decision to hop into the transfer portal, opening up a scholarship spot on the roster. What have we learned since? One of the schools he’s considering is none other than Virginia Tech, depending on what the players on the current roster decided to do with their future.
Here’s the fun part…
Virginia Tech originally got in on Wahab early, only its coach wasn’t current head man Mike Young just yet. Anyways, Thursday we learned that Hokies point guard Jalen Cone would be entering the portal. This would open a spot for VT to snag Wahab if he was interested. However, since Cone was a contributing point guard, the foreseeable priority for Young’s roster instantly becomes depth at point guard, namely Pettiford Jr, thus eliminating Wahab at this time, pending further Hokie transfers.
Why Louisville basketball?
Wahab has immediately become the guy you have to at least attempt to go and get if you’re Chris Mack. He’s a large human; the prototypical big for Mack’s scheme.
Not only that but when you weigh in the big man room at Louisville, it’s a pretty rare opportunity historically for any center to be able to come in as a sophomore and be heir to the throne of a 5th-year senior. That player, Malik Williams’, experience alone is worth buddying with.
Also here’s a side door tidbit: we’re not even positive that Williams can remain healthy. He has only played 28 or more minutes in a game a few times in his entire career. Wahab averages 27 minutes per game and because of COVID stipulations, retains his status as a sophomore.
Moreover, it should be reiterated that Louisville’s assistant coaching shakeup will not have a negative impact on every potential prospect. While Dino Gaudio’s relief of duties at Louisville was a major player in losing Pettiford, retaining Mike Pegues could actually re-enforce Wahab’s connection to the program. See, Wahab, though originally from Lagos, Nigeria (home of Nigerian Basketball National team starring Jordan Nwora), attended high school in the DC area– a metropolis heavily-traveled by Pegues on the recruiting trail. Pegues was Louisville basketball’s ambassador to Wahab in the big man’s original recruiting cycle. So there’s the silver lining.
In a nutshell, the choices will be there for Wahab, but Louisville was in his top 12 for a reason.
There are plenty of outstanding transfers in the transfer portal, and even more will jump in in the coming weeks. With that being said, it’s difficult to imagine two entities more compatible than Wahab and Louisville basketball.
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