Timothy Hubert

Chinook Writer 

Over the last two years, Abdul Bashir became a household name for much of the city of Casper. Very few expected the 6-foot-7-inch guard from Omaha, Neb. to accomplish as much as he did in his two years with the Casper College Thunderbirds Men’s Basketball Team. He will take his talents to the next level, following his commitment to Auburn University. 

Assistant Coach Deion Anderson said he made an immediate impact on the team. The organization quickly realized how good Bashir could be at a national level.

“We always knew how talented he was, but for him to get where he’s gotten, I don’t even know when that happened. He has always been him and that’s the only way to put it,” said Anderson.

Bashir’s performance on the court in both of his seasons as a starter for the T-Birds illustrate Anderson’s compliments. Starting in 32 games as a freshman, he averaged 19.4 points per game, on 45.3% 3-pt shooting. During his freshman season, Bashir broke the school record for most 3 pointers in a single season, with 124 makes. Then, Bashir broke his own record this season with 131 makes. 

He also finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in Casper College history, averaging 27.2 points per game last season. This number not only placed him as the leading scorer in the region, but Bashir also led the nation in scoring, making him arguably the greatest JUCO player in America. 

Anderson shared his experience coaching Bashir over the past two years.

“I was blessed with the opportunity to coach one of the best junior college basketball players ever, and I’m gonna stand on that statement,” said Anderson. 

Anderson said that Bashir’s requests to help work one-on-one before or after practice are some of the memories he will cherish most. He found shooting exercises to be the easiest, due to the rate at which Bashir made high volumes of shots. 

“I just had to stand under the rim and pass the ball to him,” said Anderson.

Anderson also stressed the importance of Bashir’s incredible leadership in his sophomore season. He praised him for his humility, hard work, and constant desire to be great. 

“He’s an amazing young man, has a great heart, and does things for the right reason. He’s gone through a lot in his life, and he uses all of that to remain humble and remain grounded,” exclaimed Anderson.

This quote by Anderson states the main reason why he felt Bashir made such a drastic leap from his freshman season to his sophomore year. 

Bashir left fans astonished in the team’s second matchup of the season against the team’s rival, Laramie County Community College. Not only did the T-Birds win the game, but they also won shorthanded, as many of the team’s players were serving two game suspensions from an incident earlier in the month. In dramatic fashion, the T-Birds played the second game of the season with three T-Bird soccer players. Freshman Buai Luak posted a breakout game with 12 points and 15 rebounds in his best game of the season. However, the performance of the night came at the hands of Abdul Bashir, a sight that T-Bird fans were blessed to see on a regular basis.

Bashir broke the single game record with 49 points against LCCC, two points higher than the previous record of 47, which he tied earlier in the season. He did this on 44% shooting, hitting four three pointers and 21 free throws. He also posted four rebounds and a game-high seven assists. This game extended the T-Bird’s winning streak against LCCC to eight straight games, and brought the team’s season total to 22 wins. 

Bashir will take another leap in his career next year, as he announced his commitment to Auburn University, the top division one team in college basketball. When asked about what Auburn can expect from a player like Bashir, Anderson spoke highly of Bashir’s competitiveness and determination.

He said, “He’s not gonna stop. He knows what he wants out of basketball — he knows what he wants out of his life, and nothing is going to stop him from getting that.”

Anderson holds high expectations for Abdul as he continues his basketball career at the next level due to his work ethic and high potential. 

“They (Auburn) are going to get a true competitor, a winner, a really good basketball player, and an amazing, special human being,” said Anderson.

CC will remember Bashir as possibly the greatest basketball player in the college’s history. He will be missed by his teammates, fans, and especially his coaches. 

“We spent so much time together these past two years. A lot of time, a lot of memories, a lot of laughs, a lot of smiles, a lot of tears…I love the kid. He’s always done things the right way, and he’s somebody I’m really gonna miss,” said Anderson.