Just goes to show you, it’s never too late to try new things.
That could be the phrase that perfectly fits UNBC’s latest recruit for men’s basketball who comes into the program with less than two years of competitive experience on his resume, but a lot of athleticism nonetheless.
Fareed Shittu (pronounced Sheetu) has agreed to play for the Timberwolves for the 2019-20 season after graduating from Harry Ainlay High School in Edmonton this June.
“I actually didn’t play basketball until Grade 11,” explained Shittu in a team release today (May 9), who was a youth soccer player growing up. “I am just in Grade 12, so that is not a very long time. Ever since then I just fell in love with the game, and I have been wanting to improve myself, and improve my game to play at the next level. I am very excited. This is a new beginning for me. This is a new door for me, and I am just happy to see where it takes me.”
The Nigerian-rooted, Edmonton-born player stands tall at six-foot-five and is described as long-limbed, which transcends into his ability to play the game in a post position.
In his first year of basketball, the 17-year-old’s new talents helped take his school to an Edmonton City Championship title, followed by a runner-up finish in 2019.
He understands, however, taking the university court will present bigger challenges for someone with not as much experience as others.
“The pace is a little bit faster. The guys don’t hesitate, they just make split-second decisions. In a lot of those, you just need to stay on your toes to get into the right spot. It’s going to take some getting used to. I could definitely improve on my defense. Mainly, my positioning. Finding space and reading the floor a lot better. You can expect to see a lot of springs from me. A lot of bounce. I will be getting up there.”
According to UNBC, Shittu received several interested from a number of schools at the university level, but Head Coach Todd Jordan was thrilled when hearing the culture of his team and potential next season were big factor’s in his decision.
“Fareed is an explosive player that has the ability to make plays above the rim,” said Jordan. “He only began playing late in his high school career, and because of this, we think he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. Our coaching staff is excited about the opportunity to help him grow as a player and a person over the next five years as he pursues his university education.”
Shittu plans on taking engineering in his UNBC academic career and will join his new teammates in Prince George for training camp later this summer.
