Houston Basketball Loses G-League Recruiting Battle to Big 12 Rival
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One of the most eye-catching topics in college basketball recently has been the question of whether or not G-League players like Abdullah Ahmed, who appeared in 18 games for the Westchester Knicks, should be allowed to come back to the college level.
On Tuesday morning, the news broke that Ahmed had been granted 2-3 years of eligibility by the NCAA and that he had made his choice to play for head coach Kevin Young and the BYU Cougars.
According to reports, the Westchester Knicks center was considering offers from BYU, Houston, and Mississippi State before finally committing to attend BYU in the spring. At the G-League level, Ahmed averaged 3.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
Why the Cougars Can Still Dominate the Paint
While missing out on Ahmed is unfortunate, there's reason to believe that the Cougars' frontcourt will be just fine as the season goes on. After Houston's win over Towson last week, Coach Kelvin Sampson gave his thoughts on freshman Chris Cenac Jr., saying that the center will be a pivotal part of the Cougars' rebounding.
He also joked with the freshman telling him that he should make a basket once in a while.
“That kid has had 10, 10, 10, & 13 rebounds. He’s got something he’s really, really elite at. That will keep him on the floor. Once he cleans the other stuff up, this kid’s going to be nice. He’s going to be nice! The thing I would encourage is just to mix a make in there occasionally.”
Through their first two contests in the 2025 season, Cenac Jr. has averaged 11.5 rebounds, 7.0 points, and 27.5 minutes per game. While the freshman has only made 6 of18 shots this season, his contributions to the Cougars' rebounding game presents a unique challenge to all of Houston's future opponents.
The NCAA's Latest Eligibility Test
While the NCAA cleared Ahmed to play for the BYU Cougars next season, there's still debate about whether or not it's the right move. While some believe that semi-professional players shouldn't be allowed to return to the college level, others don't see an issue with it as long as they have the eligibility.
Ahmed's time at the college level also isn't set in stone. According to the NCAA, the organization is still determining the exact length of the center's eligibility, which is currently projected to be between two and three years beginning in the 2026-27 season.
While it isn't the first time that a G-League player has been granted eligibility to return to the college level, athletes being able to bounce between the professional and college ranks could create its own set of challenges.
While the task of managing recruiting and NIL might seem daunting with more players at the college level, it also opens the door for basketball programs like Houston to connect with high-level talent. If players in the G-League find their competition too difficult, Kelvin Sampson's ability to develop talent could shine brighter than ever in the next recruitment cycle.
