Georgetown sophomore center Qudus Wahab entered the NCAA transfer portal Thursday morning, per a release from the university.
Patrick Ewing said this about the news: “Q was an important piece of our success this year and he needs to do what he feels is best for him. I want to wish him luck in his future. After an exciting postseason, we are ready to focus on the 2021-22 season.”
This announcement is baffling to say the least. Wahab started 25 of 26 games this season and played close to 30 minutes per game. As a sophomore, he was the team’s second-leading scorer (12.7 ppg) and leading rebounder (8.2 rpg). Wahab was locked in as the Hoyas’ starting center on next year’s team, which was expected to be much improved from this season’s 13-13 squad.
Despite Wahab’s departure, the Hoyas still have plenty of depth in the frontcourt. Fellow sophomore Timothy Ighoefe saw significant minutes this season as Wahab’s backup, averaging 2.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 9 minutes per game. He will certainly see an expanded role in Wahab’s absence, but Ighoefe still has a long way to go in terms of developing on the offensive end of the floor. Incoming freshman center Ryan Mutombo will also likely be asked to contribute from the moment he arrives on the Hilltop.
What makes Wahab’s decision all the more surprising is that he is passing up the opportunity to continue to develop under Patrick Ewing, a Hall of Fame center and all-time great at the collegiate and professional levels. On multiple occasions, Ewing has spoken highly of Wahab and anointed him as the next great Hoya in a long line of Georgetown big men. With today’s news, that dream will never become a reality.
