Making a jump of 45 spots and with an argument to move even higher, Hamidu experienced a true breakthrough this summer after mostly developing in the background and biding his time since arriving to the U.S. from Ghana. Healthy and with an opportunity to play extended minutes for really the first time, he thrived within his role all summer while showcasing the rare natural tools he has with his size and mobility. Hamidu showed vastly improved timing around the rim on both ends of the floor while tapping into some increased athleticism as well. His hands can still be a bit shaky at times and his offensive game beyond catching and finishing remains a work in progress, but Hamidu is proving to be a worthy development bet for a D1 program to make, particularly given his strong academic profile.

It’s hard to believe watching Hamidu play now that he had a hard time finding his way onto the floor for his high school team when the season ended just over four months ago. The fact that he just capped off his summer with his first D1 offer goes to show just how far the Ghanaian product has come in such a short period of time, blossoming from somewhat of a novelty item into a full-fledged two-way factor around the rim. Hamidu has always stood out with his towering size, immense length, and fluid movement ability, but has made significant strides in his ability to recognize patterns on either end of the floor and work his way into proper positions in line with the speed of the game. He knows when to get in the way defensively and when to get out of the way on offense, and the recipe can sometimes be that simple when blessed with Hamidu’s physical tools. His statistical contributions still come mostly in flashes but Hamidu is putting things together at the perfect time for college coaches to take notice and for Judge to eye a PCL three-peat.

Watching the defending PCL champs over the summer, it was clear they were among the favorites to repeat but still had a glaring hole in the middle in place of Loyola (MD) freshman Everett Barnes. Enter Hamidu, a towering presence arriving this fall by way of recently-closed Lawrence Woodmere (NY). Having played in spurts amid bouts with injury since arriving in the U.S. last year from Ghana, Hamidu now appears healthy and ready to make an impact with his top-tier length and blossoming mobility. He’s at his best protecting the rim defensively or finishing easy buckets with dunks, but shows flashes of moving his feet on the perimeter and even spacing the floor as a jump shooter. While still in the relatively early stages of his development, Hamidu has programs up to the mid-major level already tracking his progress thanks to his tantalizing natural tools.