Abdul-Malik Olajuwon, the son of Hakeem Olajuwon, will play college basketball at SMU.
The 6-foot-5 guard committed to the Mustangs after a visit to the school last weekend, according to ESPN.
“Their belief in me, and their plan for me with their system, fits me very well,” Olajuwon told the outlet. “They play to win, and that’s my style. [SMU] Coach [Andy] Enfield sees me making an impact as a freshman, playing point guard and helping on the defensive end.”
Olajuwon, who plays for IMG Academy in Florida, is the No. 66 prospect in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports.
He averaged 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists during an impressive stint in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
Olajuwon also got offers from 10 other schools, including Minnesota, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Mississippi State, TCU, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and UNLV.
The Texas native spoke highly of Enfield, who has gone 44-25 in two seasons as the Mustangs’ head coach.
“Coach Enfield is a laid-back guy, but he’s intense,” Olajuwon said of his future college coach. “He’s not a yeller or a screamer, but he gets his point across. When he talks, the gym becomes silent. Everyone listens to him and respects him.
“My dad was with me on the visit and feels that this is a great decision for me. I also leaned on my older brother, who’s been through the process and told me not to think only about basketball, but to think long-term.”
His father, of course, being a Basketball Hall of Famer who won back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995, two Finals MVPs and the 1994 league MVP.
SMU is coming off a 20-14 season in which it reached the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017, earning an at-large bid before losing to Miami (Ohio) in the First Four.
