Isaac Mushila Joins New Mexico Men’s Basketball Program

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball program announced Monday the addition of Isaac Mushila, a transfer forward from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The 6-5, 208-pound native of Lubumbashi, Congo comes to Albuquerque after helping the Islanders reach the NCAA Tournament in both his seasons at A&M-Corpus Christi.

Last season at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Mushila earned first-team All-Southland Conference honors after averaging 14.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He shot 53.7% from the floor, 37.5% from three and 83.5% from the line during the 2022-23 season. Mushila set the A&M-Corpus Christi single-season record with 14 double-doubles, including a 16-point, 15-rebound performance against No. 1 overall seed Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In February, he scored a season-high 28 points against Northwestern State, highlighted by a 19-of-24 effort from the free throw line. Also a standout in the classroom, Mushila was the 2022-23 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year.

“We are very excited about the addition of Isaac to our basketball program,” said head coach Richard Pitino. “Isaac is a versatile and fierce competitor. He is a winner on and off the court and will make an impact for us next season.”

In his first season at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Mushila was the 2021-22 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and a second-team all-conference selection. He led the Islanders in scoring (13.2 ppg) and rebounding (9.4), finishing ninth nationally with 3.57 offensive rebounds per game. Mushila had 13 double-doubles, with a season-high of 28 points at UTRGV and a grabbing a season-high 17 rebounds on three different occasions.

Prior to playing at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Mushila played the previous two seasons in junior college, the 2020-21 season at Western Texas and the 2019-20 season at Gillette College. He arrived in the United States from The Democratic Republic of Congo in 2016, playing two seasons of high school basketball at Spire Institute in Ohio.

“I chose to come to New Mexico because I believe in Coach Pitino’s goals for the team,” said Mushila. “They are building something special and I wanted to be a part of that. I am excited for my first chance to play in The Pit in front of the Lobo fans.”

Mushila is the fourth transfer to commit to the Lobos for the 2023-24 season, joining Mustapha Amzil (Dayton), Jemarl Baker, Jr. (Fresno State) and Nelly Junior Joseph (Iona).