Former Utah Valley standout Fardaws Aimaq is transferring from Texas Tech
Fardaws Aimaq’s time at Texas Tech is over.
The former Utah Valley University standout — Aimaq was the Western Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year in 2021 — announced on social media that he is once again entering the transfer portal.
Aimaq wrote in an Instagram post: “Thank you Texas Tech for everything. With the injury and missing 80% of the season, coming back was my goal and not being fully healthy all season was disappointing. Now with the coaching change and issues off the court with the staff, I will be entering the transfer portal.”
Aimaq was a highly pursued transfer last offseason, after a two successful seasons with the Wolverines in which he earned WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in both 2021 and 2022.
During the 2021-22 college basketball season, Aimaq averaged 19 points and 14 rebounds per game for UVU and led the country with 10.59 defensive rebounds per game. He was second in the country in total rebounds and was second nationally in double-doubles with 27.
All of it led to Aimaq being ranked the No. 10 overall prospect in the transfer portal by 247 Sports last spring.
In addition to Texas Tech, Aimaq was pursued by Washington, Iowa, Gonzaga and Texas, among other major programs, but he settled on the Red Raiders, believing they gave him the best chance at making it to the NBA.
“I think they can transform me into a lottery pick,” Aimaq told ESPN’s Jeff Bozello at the time. “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.”
Aimaq was seriously limited by injuries in his only season in Lubbock, however, and appeared in just 11 games this year — he started nine — averaging 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest.
With the resignation of Texas Tech head coach Mark Adams — Adams faced accusations that a Bible reference he used in a conversation with a player was “racially insensitive” —Aimaq will exhaust his final season of eligibility elsewhere, no doubt hoping to rebuild his diminished draft stock.
