Aziz Olajuwon, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, will play his college basketball at Stanford. The 2026 prospect announced on Saturday that he committed to the Cardinal over Vanderbilt, Houston and Cincinnati, ending a competitive recruiting battle that saw 11 high-major programs extend offers.
Olajuwon is the No. 61 recruit in the 2026 class, per 247Sports. He ranks No. 24 among small forwards and is the 10th-best prospect in the state of Florida. Olajuwon, a Houston, Texas native, will attend the talent factory that is IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, for his senior year of high school.
“I chose Stanford because it’s a perfect balance of elite academics and high-level basketball,” Olajuwon told The Athletic. “It’s a place that will challenge me on the court and in the classroom, while also preparing me for life beyond basketball. The culture and tradition at Stanford really stood out to me.”
At 6-foot-7, Olajuwon adds length to a Stanford recruiting class that already featured a blue-chip commit. Point guard Isaiah Rogers, the No. 103 player in the 2026 class, committed to the Cardinal on July 31, giving second-year coach Kyle Smith an impressive start to the cycle. Olajuwon’s addition elevates the class to an elite level and makes it the 12th-ranked haul in the nation and third best in the ACC.
“Get ready, we’re building something special,” Olajuwon said. “I can’t wait to put on the Stanford jersey, compete at the highest level, and give everything I have for the program and the fans. The future is bright, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Olajuwon is the latest son of an NBA great to rise through the ranks, following other blue-chip prospects like Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer (sons of Carlos Boozer), and USC’s Alijah Arenas (son of Gilbert Arenas), who headlined the 2025 class.
Olajuwon’s father is a former No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick and one of the greatest centers in league history. Hakeem Olajuwon won two NBA titles, the 1994 MVP award and two NBA Finals MVP honors during his illustrious pro career with the Houston Rockets, and he was a consensus first-team All-American and the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player during his college career at Houston.
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