West Virginia has added another notable name to its 2027 recruiting board, offering Malik Olajuwon, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon.
The offer went out this week, putting the Mountaineers in the mix with Auburn, Kansas State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, UNLV, and Wake Forest.
For Ross Hodge and his staff, it’s another sign that the momentum from their first full year on the recruiting trail is carrying over. West Virginia already turned in a top 15 class and landed Miles Sadler, the highest-rated prospect in program history.
Olajuwon has been busy building his own résumé. At Fort Bend Clements in Sugarland, Texas, he put up 21.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, three assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game across 26 games during his junior season. He shot 43% from the field, 28% from three-point range, and 69% at the line.
He also represented Team Canada at last month’s U18 AmeriCup, where he averaged 9.2 points and three rebounds per game while shooting 57% overall and 31% from deep. Before that, he made noise in the Nike EYBL Session IV and earned breakout MVP honors after posting 18.8 points, six rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
The shot is still a work in progress from long range, but the feel is there. The form is smooth, the release is repeatable, and the stroke already looks natural enough to suggest the perimeter game won’t stay a question for long.
What stands out even more is how he plays with the ball. He attacks with purpose, gets downhill, and finishes through contact.
He also handles pressure well and keeps control of the offense without getting rattled. On the other end, he brings a pestering edge that fits what Hodge likes to see.
The profile points to a player who can grow into a solid two-way piece at the next level.
The biggest concern right now is the frame, though that’s hardly unusual for a player at this stage. With another year of high school still ahead, and college strength work likely waiting after that, it doesn’t look like a long-term problem.
In Other News...
This WVU Addition Could Be The Missing Piece In Rich Rod's Offense
West Virginias offseason search for a cleaner answer in the run game has led back to a position college football has mostly left behind. Rich Rodriguez has made it clear he wants a true fullback in his offense, and the Mountaineers have leaned into that idea by bringing in a player who fits the old-school mold and was recognized before the season as one of the Big 12s top preseason fullbacks.
The appeal is obvious for a team that had trouble finishing short-yardage chances a year ago and at times needed too much size on the field just to move the chains a few feet. In Rodriguezs system, the fullback is not a decorative piece, and West Virginias willingness to keep using one says plenty about how it plans to attack defenses this fall, even if the exact impact of the addition is still to be proven. [Read more 🡒]
EA Sports Just Disrespected WVU In A Way Fans Will Hate
The latest EA Sports ratings have given West Virginia fans another easy thing to argue about, and the complaints are not hard to understand. Several Mountaineers came in lower than expected in the game, including tight end Ward, center King and linebacker Torbor, with each one drawing scrutiny because their numbers do not seem to match the roles they are expected to play when the season opens.
Wards rating stands out because he is being treated like a lesser option in a room he could help lead, while King is lagging behind another WVU lineman even though he still looks like the likely starting center coming out of fall camp. Torbors placement also feels off for a player who drew praise in the spring and has a real path to a starting job, which is why the overall picture has Mountaineer fans wondering how closely the games ratings actually tracked what has been happening around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Former Mountaineer JJ Wetherholt Is Turning Rookie Of The Year Heads
Former West Virginia star JJ Wetherholt is wasting no time making his presence felt in the majors, and the early buzz has spilled well beyond the box score. Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, the rookie has quickly become one of the names collectors are chasing too, with his 2025 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph already drawing serious attention on the hobby market.
Wetherholts fast start has only sharpened the spotlight around him, especially with fellow young standouts Sal Stewart and Nolan McLean also surging into the conversation. For Mountaineers fans, the appeal is obvious: one of their own is not just settling in at the big-league level, he is pushing his way into the Rookie of the Year picture while his cards keep climbing right alongside his profile. [Read more 🡒]