Inside the hiring

May 23, 2016 - It’s well known Akbar Waheed II has landed at Georgetown as an assistant coach. HoyaReport.com was the first to report the addition, via our Premium Court message board.

Who else, according to various sources, was in the running, info culled from a multitude of sources? Find out via Premium Court, here.

What about Waheed himself?

His resume is impressive: A graduate of Gonzaga College Prep (DC), Waheed graduated from Niagara in 1999 with a communications degree. While there he played guard, and according to DMV area basketball trainer of mentor Ricky Goings “was a solid player at Gonzaga High and Niagara U, known for his peskiness on 'D' and ability to fit in the system and execute what the coach needed done of the floor”.

From there, Waheed started his now almost 15 year coaching sojourn, accepting what was then termed a restricted earnings position with his alma mater, working to full assistant and garnering a masters in school counseling over 11 years.

Stops at Boston College, the National Basketball Association’s Oklahoma City Thunder and Hofstra followed. The last two were a year each in duration, with OKC being joined as a scout while Hofstra benefited from Waheed being a full assistant. He was at Boston College from 2010-2014.

Who has Akbar impacted along the way?

Names like Tyquone Greer, Elijah Pemberton and Juan'ya Green of Hofstra, Boston College’s Olivier Hanlan and Ryan Anderson (transferred to Arizona), plus Lorenzo Miles, Stanley Hodge, Charron Fisher, Villanova transfer Bilal Benn and a host of others at Niagara, are all examples of players Waheed helped recruited and/or worked with.

Goings has no pause about Waheed’s ability to lure players, saying “Akbar is an outstanding recruiter”, one with “a strong network nationwide and a solid background that has led to him being successful at all of his coaching stops”. His understanding of Waheed is informed by years of personal, basketball and familial interaction.

In fact, Goings shared “Akbar has always been a leader and teacher. You could tell by his natural curiosity and passion for learning the game at a young age he would find a career in coaching”.

Ultimately Goings sees big things for Waheed, opining “I think he will be a great head coach. He is in no rush – will wait for the right situation where he has the best opportunity to for long term success”.

Before that can happen, Akbar Waheed II must prove himself on The Hilltop. Based on his previous work, doing so seems very likely.