Hakeem Olajuwon’s Top-60 Recruit Son Makes NCAA Commitment

Another Olajuwon is set to play in the NCAA

JL3 Abdul-Malik Olajuwon (10) dribbles during the third day of the 2026 Nike EYBL Peach Jam at Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta, S.C., on Thursday, July 16, 2026. JL3 defeated Drive Nation 61-59. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On Thursday, Abdul-Malik Olajuwon made his commitment to play for the SMU Mustangs. He is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Houston Rockets to two NBA championships during the 1990s. 

Olajuwon is a four-star recruit from IMG Academy in Florida. The six-foot-four guard is ranked at No. 57 on the 2027 SCNEXT 100. In addition to SMU, he received offers to play for Auburn, Minnesota, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, TCU, Texas Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Olajuwon explained why he decided to commit to SMU. 

"Their belief in me, and their plan for me with their system, fits me very well. 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... 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."

February 19, 2022; Cleveland, OH, USA; NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon during the 2022 NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Rocket Mortgage Field House. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The Brink of March Madness

For the 2025-2026 season, SMU finished with an 8-10 record in the ACC men’s basketball standings and a 20-14 overall record. The Mustangs lost in the second round of the 2026 ACC tournament.

SMU went on to receive an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament. They were seeded into the First Four, falling short to Miami (Ohio) in the Midwest Regional. It was the Mustangs’ first appearance in the tournament since 2017.

SMU head coach Enfield will be heading into his third year with the program. In addition to over a decade of coaching experience in the NCAA, the 57-year-old had multi-season stints as an assistant coach in the NBA.

With SMU breaking a near-decade drought without a March Madness appearance, there should be a sense of excitement with Olajuwon committed to join the team in 2027. He is noted for his efficiency, ability to read defenses, playmaking, and off-ball movement.

In terms of developing NBA talent, Sterling Brown and Semi Ojeleye were the most recent SMU players to be drafted into the league. Brown was selected with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, while Ojeleye came off the board at No. 37.

With his commitment, Olajuwon is set to join a long list of sons of former NBA players who have made the leap to college basketball.