TCU basketball adds Hamdy, a graduate transfer from VCU

The TCU men’s basketball program added forward Ahmed Hamdy, a graduate transfer from VCU with NCAA Tournament experience, to its roster Tuesday.

By signing Hamdy (6-foot-9, 240 pounds), TCU added a physical, experienced player with immediate eligibility to its returning nucleus from last year’s team that won the NIT championship. The Horned Frogs return their top six scorers, including all five starters, from last year’s 24-15 team and will welcome six newcomers to the fold next season.

Hamdy, the latest fresh face to join the Frogs’ program, averaged 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season at VCU while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. He posted a season-high 14 points against Baylor and, in his final season at Lee College in Baytown, Hamdy averaged 16.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game at the junior-college level.

At VCU, he played on two teams that reached the NCAA Tournament. He scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in the Rams’ 85-77 loss to Saint Mary’s in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

“Ahmed is a physical big man who runs the floor well and can score in the post,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “He plays extremely hard and is an efficient rebounder. Ahmed brought down one rebound every three minutes at VCU, so he’s a guy that gives 100 percent every time he steps on the floor.”

Hamdy, a native of Alexandria, Egypt, joins a list of newcomers for next season that includes forward Lat Mayen, forward Andre Pierce, guard R.J. Nembhard, guard Shawn Olden and center Kevin Samuel. Hamdy and Olden, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College, plan to enroll for the summer semester. Kouat Noi, a forward from Australia who redshirted last season, also will be in the mix for playing time next season.

This story was originally published May 2, 2017 at 10:49 AM with the headline "TCU basketball adds Hamdy, a graduate transfer from VCU."