Recruiting Report: Laolu Oke (2018)
One of the more unique, under-the-radar players in Colorado is Lalou Oke, a 6-6 forward out of Overland High School.
Oke is aggressive on the offensive glass, is unselfish with the basketball and is developing a tighter handle that is allowing him to become a mismatch as he takes the ball up the court.
And that’s just what he brings to the table offensively.
“I think my biggest strength is my versatility on defense and my ability to guard multiple positions.”
Oke could very well make an impact at the next level as a top-notch defender. He’s got the athleticism and lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter and the length and strength to alter shots inside.
He led the Trailblazers with 6.8 rebounds per game. His modest 4.8 points per game don’t jump off the page, but his willingness to set screens make extra passes and come up with 50-50 balls make him a valuable piece of a team that could compete for a 5A championship.
After a stellar month of June in which Overland lost only one game to an in-state team — by one point — Oke is feeling confident in what his team can do heading into his senior season.
“It felt good to know we’re playing so well right now because we have five seniors coming in,” he said. “We have four of those seniors in the starting lineup. I feel like next season we’ll be really good.”
Oke had some of his best performances of June while playing at the Metro State Team Camp, which Overland won with a perfect 9-0 record. He has been hearing consistently by the Division II school’s staff since.
“They’ve been talking to me a lot,” he said. “I think that program would be a good fit for me because they are a winning program. I like the coaches. They talk to me a lot about the program and I like what they’re saying.”
Oke is hoping to turn more heads in July on the Colorado Hawks Prospects squad. He’ll play at the Reebok Nationals in Denver during the first live period, the Mullens High Profile Tournament in Wichita the second and the Las Vegas championships to close the month.
“I’m really trying to work on my shooting ability and pushing up the ball from the defensive end,” Oke said. “I want to be able to turn defense into offense and run the break.”