Abdul-Malik Olajuwon is returning to the state that made his father famous.
The Canada U18 guard has officially committed to SMU for the Class of 2027, he told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi. Olajuwon is the son of NBA icon Hakeem Olajuwon.
The younger Olajuwon was part of the Canada team that won the FIBA U18 Americup this past summer. Playing in all five games, Olajuwon averaged 9.2 points and 3.0 boards. Canada defeated the United States, 67-65, in the final.
Born in Texas, Olajuwon plays for Canada through his Canadian mother.
“Their belief in me, and their plan for me with their system, fits me very well,” Olajuwon told ESPN as to why he joined the Mustangs. “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.”
The elder Olajuwon ended his illustrious career with the Toronto Raptors in 2002. He spent the previous 20 seasons in Houston, first with the Cougars, with whom he went to back-to-back NCAA title games in 1983 and 1984, and then with the Houston Rockets, who selected him with the first overall pick of the 1984 NBA Draft.
In his 17 seasons with the Rockets, Olajuwon was a 12-time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and the 1994 NBA Most Valuable Player. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. He won a gold medal with the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Olajuwon was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
The Mustangs open their 2026-2027 on Nov. 2 with a visit from Southern.
