Top-80 recruit had a breakout summer season with JL3 Elite and helped Canada win the Gold Medal at the FIBA U18 Championships
By: Ross Van De Griek
Malik Olajuwon, A 6-foot-4 rising senior shooting guard, is on the move ahead of his upcoming senior season. The son of 18-year National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran Hakeem Olajuwon will play at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The news was first reported by 247Sports’ Recruiting Reporter Travis Branham.
He will follow his older brother (Aziz)’s footsteps, where he played one season for the Ascenders before moving on to play collegiate basketball at Stanford University last season.
Malik is currently rated as the No. 83 overall player in the nation, the No. 11-ranked shooting guard, and the No. 7-ranked player in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports for the Class of 2027.
Malik joins a loaded IMG Academy roster under first-year Head Coach Jackson Johnson, who will be taking over following Sean Macloon’s departure, when he led the Ascenders to the Chipotle Nationals title in 2019. The Ascenders have already landed transfers such as four-star small forward Joshua Leonard, five-star small forwards Will Brunson, Jordan Page, and four-star shooting guard Lucai Anderson.
Olajuwon spent the Grassroots season playing for JL3 Elite on the Nike EYBL Circuit, where he spent Session 4 in Las Vegas, averaging 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 50% from the field, 40% from behind the arc, and 77% from the free-throw line.
During his junior season at Fort Bend Clements, Olajuwon averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43% from the field and 28% from behind the three-point line, according to MaxPreps. The Rangers finished the 2025-2026 season with a 19-11 record reaching the UIL Texas District Playoffs.
During the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, Olajuwon played a key role representing Team Canada, where he averaged 9.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
Scouting Report on Malik Olajuwon: Olajuwon is a floor spacer who has developed into a versatile role where he can make an impact offensively both on and off the ball. He is a vital threat who can score on all three levels in catch-and-shoot situations. On the defensive end, he can guard multiple positions with his speed and length. He is also an excellent rebounder, as he is unafraid when it comes to challenging shots at the rim and pushing the tempo in transition-scoring opportunities.
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Ross Van De Griek has been a Southeast Region Scout for On The Radar Hoops since 2024 and has been the Owner/Founder of Southeast Hoops Report since June 2026. You can follow along with his work on X (@SEHoopsReport), Instagram (sehoopsreport), and Facebook (@sehoopsreport).