Abdul-Malik Olajuwon, Son Of NBA Legend Hakeem, Commits To SMU Basketball

Andrew Powell Fri, October 2, 2026 at 2:16 AM UTC

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Abdul-Malik Olajuwon, Son Of NBA Legend Hakeem, Commits To SMU Basketball ©(Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Huge get by the Mustangs!

A top-60 college basketball recruit and the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, Abdul-Malik Olajuwon has committed to SMU, he said Thursday while speaking with ESPN.

Olajuwon recently visited the campus of Southern Methodist University, which came one week following his trip to Minnesota. (RELATED: Knicks' Josh Hart Forced To Play Through Finger Injury After Revealing Surgery Would End His Career)

"Their belief in me, and their plan for me with their system, fits me very well," said Olajuwon. "They play to win, and that's my style. Coach [Andy] Enfield sees me making an impact as a freshman, playing point guard and helping on the defensive end."

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Olajuwon's mind was made up after his official visit to SMU. He was joined by his dad and the relationship with Enfield continued to grow, and he also saw the Mustangs football team in their victory over Missouri State.

I'm impressed with how SMU beat out traditional ACC, SEC and Big Ten programs for a top-60 recruit, especially one carrying the pedigree of Houston royalty.

What makes this fit particularly fascinating is Enfield's vision for him at point guard.

While fans hear "Olajuwon" and instinctively imagine an elite rim-protecting big man dominating the low block, Abdul-Malik brings a completely modern perimeter game: long, disruptive, and defensively aggressive, but with the court vision to orchestrate Enfield's uptempo attack.

Giving a freshman the keys to lead an ACC offense is a massive gamble, but it's exactly the kind of high-reward swing that SMU needs to pivot into powerhouse territory.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”