From The Bronx to New Jersey, North Carolina and then Kansas, basketball has taken Bashir Ahmed on quite a journey.
It all has led to the present, as one of the most sought-after junior college prospects in the country — a 6-foot-6 jumping jack who has drawn the eye of Louisville, St. John’s, Cincinnati and Rutgers.
Ahmed was a high-quality high school prospect at John F. Kennedy in The Bronx. His plan was to attend Iona College after finishing up at The Robinson School in Bayonne, N.J. Academics, however, held him back, leading him to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, where he has impressed a number of college coaches.
The next few weeks will be busy for Ahmed, who has official visits scheduled to Cincinnati (Sept. 19) and St. John’s (Sept. 26), and also plans to see Rutgers and Louisville, as well.
Sources believe St. John’s has the inside track because it so close to his Bronx home and assistant coach Matt Abdelmassih has been recruiting Ahmed dating back to his time at Iowa State. But his former Hutchinson CC teammate, Deshawn Freeman, attends Rutgers, and Louisville offers the history and prestige enticing to most prospects.
Brad Winton, the publisher of JucoRecruiting.com, raved about Ahmed’s toughness — he played in a JUCO showcase event this summer with bruised ribs and said “he’s a bull” going to the rim — and versatile skill set.
A lot of the top junior college prospects are often classified as wings in the 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-7 frame, but they are often undersized bigs at the Division I level. Not Ahmed, an improving passer and 3-point shooter who “knows how to play,” according to Winton.
Ahmed, the Freshman of the Year in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference West Division last year, was an honorable mention All-American, averaging 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and shooting 37 percent from 3-point range.
“He’s a top five junior college player in the country for sure, and he’s in the mix for the top spot,” Winton said.
One Division I coach recruiting Ahmed said the only negative is his motor.
“He’s ultra-talented,” the coach said. “I love Bash, but he needs to play harder.”