BYU added the fourth commitment to its 2026 class as Egyptian big man Abdullah Ahmed announced his commitment to BYU on Tuesday. Ahmed took an official visit to BYU over the weekend and chose BYU over other finalist Houston. He is expected to enroll at BYU mid-year for Winter Semester.
Ahmed is listed at 6-foot-10 and has spent the last two seasons with the Westchester Knicks. Defense is his strength and he was one of the best shot blockers in the G-League. Last season, Ahmed averaged 4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 18 minutes per game. Ahmed is a rim protector, and offensively he brings value as a rim runner who can catch lobs. This summer at EuroCamp Ahmed measured just over 6-foot-8 barefoot with a wingspan of 7-feet-2.5 inches. Most teams list height with shoes on, which is where his 6-foot-10 comes from. BYU must replace Keba Keita after this season, and Ahmed will compete for the starting center position next season. He’s expected to have two years of eligibility plus a redshirt season.
Ahmed is expected to enroll mid year in late December for Winter Semester and redshirt the rest of the season. BYU initially had no space for Ahmed to enroll this year, but Nate Pickens’ season-ending injury before the season started opened up an extra roster space. Under NCAA rules, if a player suffers a season-ending injury before the season starts schools can elect to have that player not count against the roster limit. That open roster spot allowed Ahmed to enroll at BYU early and get an additional season of revenue share and NIL money. JUCO star KJ Perry will also enroll at BYU at the same time.
Ahmed is the latest player of a recent ruling that has allowed G-League players to play college ball. Santa Clara and Louisville recently received commitments from G-League players whom the NCAA ruled eligible. The idea is similar to how certain pro Euroleague players — such as BYU’s Mihailo Boskovic and other players throughout college basketball — are allowed to play college ball after playing in a professional league. G-League salaries are around $40K annually, which is less than what many Power Conference college players make from NIL and revenue sharing. The NCAA essentially views that as living expenses such as housing, food, etc similar to what a college scholarship would cover. If the player is within their 5-year eligibility window, then the NCAA may rule them eligible.
You can watch highlights of Ahmed below.
