Canes Hoops: Miami Lands Stony Brook Guard Elijah Olaniyi

Elijah Olaniyi announced his decision to take his career to Coral Gables to play for the Miami Hurricanes over Twitter Sunday, after the news was first reported by Evan Daniels of 247Sports.

“Thank you Stony Brook Basketball for the lessons over the years, for the highs and the lows because those are the things that have shaped me into the man I am today. Thank you to all the schools that recruited me through this process but the wait is over. Next fall I will be attending the University of Miami,” Olaniyi shared in a tweet.

The 6-5 guard said that the Canes’ coaching staff was a major factor in his decision to take his talents south. Even with in-person visits on hold due to COVID-19, the Newark native felt very comfortable with his decision to transfer to the Atlantic Coast Conference program.

“I felt the love from the whole staff, not just one guy. They have a need at my position when I’m eligible to play and just the way they wanted me. I felt the want,” he told 247Sports.

Olaniyi—who was named to the All-America East Conference First Team in 2019-20—will have one year of eligibility left, but will likely not be able to use it right away. Absent a waiver from the NCAA, he’ll play in his first game at the Watsco Center during the 2021-22 season.

The three-time America East Conference Player of the Week from this past season is a classic example of a player who has significantly improved during each of his three years in college basketball, taking his points per game average from 7.8 as a freshman, to 12.8 as a sophomore and finally a team-high 18 points per game as a junior. He also pulled down 6.5 rebounds each contest and shot 36.1% from beyond the 3-point line in 19-20.

Olaniyi’s presence will add to the arsenal of Jim Larrañaga’s, who will complement current standouts Isaiah Wong and Harlond Beverly, future contributors Matt Cross and Earl Timberlake, as well as fellow transfer Nysier Brooks.