ASU CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLES

er and one brother. He was not academically eligible for major college out of high school (partly in Florida) but signed with Texas in November 2013 early in his second season at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. Oleka was suspended on and off for team rules violations in late 2013 and only played five games that season before leaving SCF and subsequently being released from his letter of intent by Texas.

Following his time here with his aunt, Oleka spent 2014-15 getting his academics in order at Cecil College in Maryland. Recruiters began to take interest again, including Hurley when he was at Buffalo and Hurley’s brother, Dan, at Rhode Island. Georgetown, DePaul, Temple, Gonzaga and Oregon State also talked to Oleka.

“He didn’t want to talk to me when I was at Buffalo,” said Levi Watkins, who continued on Hurley’s staff at ASU. “Once we got to Arizona State, he knew how we played, and it happened fast.” 20, Mark Landsberger, Jr., 1976-77 20, Joe Caldwell, Sr., 1963-64 18, Joe Caldwell, Jr., 1962-63 17, Art Becker, Jr., 1962-63 15, Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05

Of course, Watkins didn’t know about the year’s worth of prayers that Oleka would wind up at ASU.

“I felt like I was a great player, and I put a lot of work in my life to not settle,” Oleka said. “I was going to dictate my efforts to do something bigger.”

He’s done that on the court at ASU and off as he nears graduation, learning to cope with a speech impediment along the way. He beams about recently being an athletic department Scholar Baller – “I made honor roll, my first time probably ever” – and puts his college degree at least on a par with his double-doubles for achievement.