And that was what sealed the deal for the 6-foot-8 forward who announced Sunday evening that he plans to join the UNM Lobos, where he’ll play the “4” and can help out at center, after three productive seasons at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“One of the biggest things was how clear coach made it from the beginning that I was a necessity for them and that he needs me to be great for them to win, which is something every player wants: a coach that not only believes you can be great but wants and needs you to be,” Allick told the Journal on Sunday evening.
Should he choose to utilize an extra season of eligibility due to COVID, he will have two seasons of playing eligibility remaining at UNM, beginning this coming season. The Lobos now have the NCAA-limit 13 scholarships committed for the coming season, though that is never a guarantee that recruiting and player movement is over.
Allick made his announcement via social media on Sunday with the message: “Let the work begin,” accompanying a picture of him in a Lobos uniform that was taken just last week as he was on an official recruiting visit in Albuquerque.
Let The Work Begin🐺
🔴⚪️Committed🔴⚪️#LoboNation #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/hkJ6NuLtz6
— JosiahAllick (@allick_josiah) May 16, 2022
While Allick said he heard from “about 75” schools once he initially put his name in the NCAA transfer portal — not an uncommon occurrence for a skilled big man who plays the “4” but can also help out at the center spot if needed — he recently had his list narrowed down to a handful of schools and took official recruiting visits in the past couple weeks to BYU and Oklahoma before making his decision to join UNM.
Allick averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and shot 55% from the floor this past season. He played just 16 games and had ankle surgery to repair an injury that first occurred in high school, he said.
His most productive season was in 2020-21 when he average 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and shot 57.3% from the floor. He can mix in some 3-pointers — he was 29-of-81 (35.8%) over the past two seasons and draws fouls at a high rate, averaging better than four fouls drawn per 40 minutes played in all three college seasons.
He told the Journal he’s excited to join a Lobos team he believes can be a factor in the Mountain West title race next season.
“They have the potential to be a top team in the Mountain West this next year and with power houses like Colorado State, San Diego State, UNLV and Boise State it’s not a conference without high level competition,” he said. “And also the Pit is an amazing arena with rich history and culture and once we start winning and get it back to its old ways, it’s going to be the best and hardest place to play in college basketball.”
Allick said he expects to be at UNM and starting summer workouts the first week of June.
He joins former Wichita State center Morris Udeze, who committed to the Lobos last week, as the two transfers in this 2022 recruiting class for UNM, joining three prep players who signed in November: point guard Donovan Dent of California, guard Braden Appelhans of Kansas City and forward Quinton Webb of California.
This isn’t the first time in the past decade a UNM Lobos team has dipped into the UMKC transfer waters hoping to hit big.
In 2015, Courtney Frerichs transferred from UMKC to UNM, joining the Lobos cross country and track & field teams, winning an NCAA national title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2016, setting a collegiate record with a time of 9 minutes, 24.41 seconds. She’s gone on to a decorated professional career, including winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
