Jeff Borzello
Paul Biancardi
Paul Biancardi
Basketball Recruiting
National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com
18 years of coaching experience at Division I level
Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State
Aziz Olajuwon, a top-40 recruit and the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, has committed to Stanford, he told ESPN on Saturday.
Olajuwon recently cut his list to four schools: Stanford, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt and Houston, his father’s alma mater. He visited Cincinnati and Vanderbilt in recent weeks after taking a trip to Stanford over the summer.
“I chose Stanford because the coaching staff made it clear they are about me not just as an athlete, but as a person,” Olajuwon told ESPN. “That meant a lot in the process.”
Olajuwon becomes the first ESPN 100 recruit for Stanford since coach Kyle Smith took over in March 2024.
“Coach Smith and really the whole staff are people who really invest in their players, on and off the court,” Olajuwon said. “Their passion, leadership and ability to connect with the teams made a huge impression on me.
“The visit felt like a real day in the life, not just a tour. I got to experience the campus, the people and the culture in an authentic way, and it just felt right.”
A 6-foot-7 small forward from Texas who recently transferred to IMG Academy (Florida), Olajuwon is ranked No. 40 in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2026. He stood out on the Nike EYBL circuit this past spring and summer for the JL3 grassroots program, averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists over the course of 19 games. Olajuwon showed a blossoming perimeter shot as the season went on, shooting nearly 42% from behind the arc at the Nike Peach Jam in July, including one game in which he made six 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.
Olajuwon, a big wing who consistently plays in a triple-threat stance, was one of the most improved and effective players over the summer. His ability to read the defense, score, pass and drive was evident, and he has shown the ability to defend both the wing and the ball with length.
Olajuwon is the second commitment for Smith and Stanford in the 2026 class, joining four-star guard Isaiah Rogers.
