Hakeem Olajuwon's Son Commits to SMU Basketball Program

Abdul-Malik Olajuwon, a top-60 recruit in the 2027 class and the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, has committed to play basketball at Southern Methodist University, he told ESPN on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The younger Olajuwon made the decision after an official visit to SMU's Dallas campus last weekend, a trip that came one week after he had also visited the University of Minnesota, according to ESPN. He did not name other finalists in his comments to the network.

Who Is Abdul-Malik Olajuwon?

Olajuwon is ranked among the top 60 prospects in the high school class of 2027, per ESPN's recruiting evaluation. He is the son of Hakeem Olajuwon, the two-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame center who starred for the Houston Rockets. ESPN's reporting on the commitment does not list the younger Olajuwon's height, hometown, or current high school, and HTT News could not independently verify those details from the source material provided.

Why Did He Choose SMU Over Minnesota?

Olajuwon told ESPN that SMU's coaching staff, led by head coach Andy Enfield, presented a plan that matched his style of play. "Their belief in me, and their plan for me with their system, fits me very well," Olajuwon said, according to ESPN. "They play to win, and that's my style. Coach [Andy] Enfield sees me making an impact as a freshman, playing point guard."

The quote indicates SMU's staff pitched him on an immediate role at point guard rather than a developmental timeline, a detail Olajuwon cited as a factor in the decision. ESPN's report does not include comparable remarks from Minnesota's coaching staff or detail why that program was not selected.

By the Numbers

• Top 60 — Olajuwon's national ranking in the 2027 recruiting class, per ESPN.
• 2 — Official college visits taken in the two weeks before his commitment: Minnesota, then SMU.
• 1 — NBA Hall of Fame center in his immediate family: his father, Hakeem Olajuwon.

What Does SMU Gain With This Commitment?

SMU, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference as of the 2024 realignment cycle, now adds a top-60 national prospect to its 2027 recruiting board under Enfield, who has led the program since 2024. The commitment gives the Mustangs a point guard target with name recognition tied to one of the NBA's most decorated centers, though ESPN's report does not detail how Olajuwon's recruitment compares with other targets already committed to SMU's class.

ESPN did not report financial terms, name-image-likeness arrangements, or scholarship details connected to the commitment, and none appear in the available source material.

What Comes Next For SMU's Recruiting Class?

Olajuwon's commitment lands amid broader changes across college basketball recruiting and eligibility rules. The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act by a 77-22 vote within the past week, according to ESPN's coverage, a measure tied to ongoing disputes over player eligibility timelines across multiple programs. ESPN's recruiting desk has also tracked several other high-profile commitments in recent days, including a five-star addition at Syracuse and a top Australian point guard choosing Duke, signaling active movement across 2027 recruiting boards as the fall evaluation period continues.

SMU has not issued its own public statement on the commitment in the material reviewed for this report, and ESPN's story represents the only sourced account of Olajuwon's decision as of Thursday afternoon.

For readers following roster turnover at the NBA level this fall, HTT News has also reported on the Knicks' release of single-game tickets after ending their title drought, a separate storyline in professional basketball.

The original report, including the full quote from Olajuwon and additional recruiting context, is available via ESPN.

What Other Recruiting and Eligibility Changes Is ESPN Tracking?

ESPN's recruiting coverage this week has also flagged a Big Ten rule that prevents men's basketball players from returning to their prior school after leaving to pursue a professional career, part of a wider set of eligibility questions affecting programs including LSU, according to ESPN's reporting. Separately, ESPN reported that the NIT and WBIT are being cut down to 24 teams each in the wake of expanded NCAA tournaments, a scheduling change that sits alongside the Protect College Sports Act's path through the Senate. None of that reporting references Olajuwon or SMU directly, but it reflects the same week of roster and eligibility turnover in which his commitment was announced.

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