Recruiting Spotlight: Fred Odhiambo (2018)
The most intimidating shot blocker in the west? Look no further than Fred Odhiambo
MISSION HILLS, CA—From Africa to Philadelphia to Mission Hills, Fred Odhiambo has had quite the journey.
The 6-foot-11 willowy center is now on a path that will garner him a Division 1 basketball scholarship as well as a future that he could never possibly dream of while growing up in his hometown, Kenya.
While arriving at Alemany High School he met Head Coach Tray Meeks while Meeks was conditioning his team. “We run a lot at Alemany, and when I asked Fred if he can run with the team, his reply was no. He said he doesn’t run and that brought me to laughter immediately.”
Ironically, it wasn’t long before Meeks realized his young big man was one of the fastest kids on the entire team, if not the fastest.
“Fred has an engaging personality. He is well-liked by his teammates and overall he is just a great kid,” according to Meeks.
The best shot blocker in the west?This summer Odhiambo “ran” with Gamepoint Pump n Run and Cal Supreme and saw his stock elevate immediately. He is a phenomenal athlete with impeccable timing which leads to what some of us believe in the scouting world that he is the No. 1 rim protector in the West—sorry Bol Bol (Mater Dei).
“During the summer I learned to be more aggressive at both ends, utilizing my timing and bounce,” Odhiambo stated. “My game has grown, but I still need to improve my shooting touch in the paint as well as improve my fundamentals while working on the block.”
Although his offense is still very much in a rudimentary stage, that hasn’t stopped a plethora of colleges come calling for his services.
“I have offers from Oregon State, UConn, St. Josephs, Drexel, UC Santa Barbara, Penn State, Utah, Utah State, Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, and Cal State Northridge. I plan on taking some visits this fall.”
At this stage, Odhiambo is wide open and due to his engaging personality, this should be a thorough analysis of what school he wants to attend next season. From my perspective, the longer this decision takes the more schools will jump aboard because he is easily one of the more under-appreciated prospects in the country.