BERKELEY – California men's basketball head coach Mark Madsen announced Thursday that Texas Tech transfer Fardaws Aimaq has signed to play for the Golden Bears for the 2023-24 season.
 
Aimaq was the 2021 and 2022 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, 2021 WAC Player of the Year and a two-time All-WAC first team selection in two seasons played under Madsen at Utah Valley before spending last season with the Red Raiders. He started his collegiate career at Mercer in 2018-19 and will have one season of eligibility remaining at Cal.
 
A 6-foot-11 forward from Vancouver, British Columbia, Aimaq has recorded 1,178 points (12.5 points per game), 1,005 rebounds (10.7 RPG), 102 blocks (1.1 BPG) and 77 double-doubles – the seventh most among active players in the country at the end of the 2022-23 campaign – through four seasons and 94 career games played. He led the nation with 15.0 rebounds per game in the 2020-21 season at Utah Valley, becoming the first Division I player to average over 15.0 rebounds in a season in over 40 years.
 
"Daws is a physically imposing player with a proven ability to impact both ends of the court at a high level," Madsen said. "His work ethic in the gym and the weight room, paired with natural skill on the block and the perimeter will make him an immediate difference-maker for our program next season. I know Daws to be a tremendous young man who was raised the right way and who is incredibly hungry to succeed. I'm excited to reunite with him in Bear Territory."
 
Aimaq was limited to 11 games (nine starts) in his lone season at Texas Tech, where he averaged 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and tallied three double-doubles in Big 12 Conference play, including an 18-point, 13-rebound effort at No. 3 Kansas. He did not make his Red Raider debut until January 14 after missing the first 16 games of the season with an injury.
 
The big man proved to be a force under Madsen's guidance at Utah Valley. As a redshirt sophomore in 2021-22, Aimaq was second in the nation with 13.6 RPG, third nationally with 27 double-doubles – including three 20-20 efforts – and averaged 18.9 PPG. After attempting only two 3-pointers in his first two collegiate seasons, Aimaq was 20 for 46 (43.5%) from beyond the arc in 2021-22 for the Wolverines. Along with his All-WAC honors, he was also named to the NABC and USBWA All-District Teams and was a finalist for the Lou Henson and Lefty Driesell awards. Aimaq's first season of action at Utah Valley saw him tabbed as the WAC Player of the Year and earn his first of two consecutive WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after averaging 13.9 PPG, 15.0 RPG and 1.7 BPG. He had his career-high rebounding performance during the campaign, grabbing 25 rebounds (12 offensive) in a game against Dixie State in which he also had 18 points.
 
As a freshman at Mercer, Aimaq averaged 5.0 PPG and led the team with 5.3 RPG. He shot 51.7% (62 for 120) from the floor, posted a season-high 14 points against Georgia Southern and totaled three double-figure rebounding performances, including a best of 13 against Wofford.
 
In Vancouver, Aimaq played at Steveston-London Secondary School, where he earned three city MVP honors during his prep career.
 
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