Recruiting Report: Malik Ondigo (2017)
Malik Ondigo, a 2016 graduate of Dysart High School, is one of the most interesting basketball prospects in the entire state of Arizona. Desiring an extra year to mature both on and off of the court, this 6’10” force, in…
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Continue ReadingMalik Ondigo, a 2016 graduate of Dysart High School, is one of the most interesting basketball prospects in the entire state of Arizona. Desiring an extra year to mature both on and off of the court, this 6’10” force, in just his third year playing the sport, has decided to attend prep school for a year before deciding which Division 1 NCAA institution he will attend. I had the opportunity to speak with Malik recently and get some insight into what this entire process has been like for him.
Ondigo has had a rapid rise up the ranking boards and has seen his game develop in a really short span under the tutelage of Kenny Mullins and Gino Crump, the coaches of The Factory AAU program. Being an exceptionally tall kid, naturally you draw the desire of basketball folks everywhere you go, but Mullins and Crump were not only able to get Malik into the gym, but soon discovered they may have a diamond in the rough.
Recently, Malik led his Factory team to a championship in the 17U Platinum division of the Southwest Showcase Summer Championships. From defending the paint, switching ball screens, running the floor in transition, or hitting midrange jump shots with consistency, it was obvious that he was the best player in the event. This was far from the first time this year that Malik has turned heads, as he is receiving interest from Arizona State, Southern California, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Colorado, Butler, and Boston University along with a handful of other high major schools.
With this level of recruitment going on, I asked Ondigo what his thoughts were on the process. He shared that he draws motivation from the improvement that he sees in his game. He expressed that he looks forward to providing “a willingness to play any role necessary and being a high motor guy with great character” for a program. Being on teams the past two years with more developed and experienced players, Malik has developed the knack for doing whatever a team needs from him in order to impact a game.
During his prep year, Ondigo plans to add strength, increase his overall basketball IQ on offense in gaining the ability to diagnose defenses and seeing plays before they happen, as well as learning defensive positioning for the collegiate level in order to be able to anchor a defense. As one would expect from a prospect with such a desire to learn, Malik will decide on a school largely based on the relationship that he has with the coaching staff.
Malik credits his father Joshua Ondigo, a Kenyan native that played basketball at Grand Canyon University, as both his biggest fan and his greatest inspiration. He hopes to study business, following in his father’s footsteps. On the court, Ondigo will continue to constantly improve as a player and hopes ultimately to be a professional player. It is clear to see that this young man has a lot of potential to offer to a college program both on and off the court, and the month of July looks to be a huge one for him in terms of recruitment.
Get to know Malik Ondigo
Favorite Artist?: Justin Timberlake
Favorite TV Show?: SportsCenter
What do you view as the best aspect of your game?: “My versatility”
One sentence to describe yourself?: “Malik Ondigo is a tall, goofy kid that is always smiling; my mom didn’t get me braces for nothing.”
Twitter: @Malik6ft10