Qudus Wahab discusses Pitt recruitment

Pitt head coach Jeff Capel and his staff have been hard at work on the recruiting trail, and one of their top targets over the past few months has been Qudus Wahab, a 6’10”, 230-pound center out of Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia. The work paid off to an extent, as Wahab included Pitt among his final five schools on Sept. 26. Now, he’s set to announce his decision on Thursday.

Wahab spoke with Corey Evans of Rivals on Monday and provided an in-depth look at how he’s been approached by each of the five schools currently vying for his services. During his interview with Evans, he discussed the recruiting process with Pitt and shared his thoughts on Capel and his staff.

“[Pitt's coaches] just said that they really need me and that they would have loved for me to come and play for them this year,” Wahab said. “They said that I should come, and they have been recruiting me hard to come to Pittsburgh. Whenever I went on my visit there, they made me feel at home. I have become used to them since they have been recruiting me and talking to me every day. They are really good guys.”

To Wahab’s point, Capel and three assistants traveled to see him play last week, and those following the center’s recruitment are well aware that Pitt has been present every step of the way, especially over the past few weeks. However, Wahab is not a lock, as several analysts have predicted he will head to Georgetown, which is situated fewer than 20 miles away from his current school.

There, he would also have the benefit of learning under former New York Knicks star Patrick Ewing, and he talked about that possibility in his conversation with Evans.

“[Georgetown] is really close, which is one advantage,” Wahab said during his interview with Evans. “Coach Ewing has said he is going to get me right, and with him being a big man, too, I am going to get the ball. He talks about Jessie Govan a lot and how I am going to be able to do the same stuff as him.”

In addition to Pitt and Georgetown, Syracuse, UConn and Virginia Tech are also in the mix for the center’s services. So while Wahab would fill a major hole in Pitt’s lineup and have the opportunity to make an immediate impact as a likely first-year starter, he hasn’t tipped his hand regarding where he might end up. And at this point, it’s hard to say if anyone has an edge.