For the UNBC Timberwolves men's basketball squad, the decision to offer Fareed Shittu a spot on the team was a slam-dunk.
Anybody who has seen his highlight video will understand why.
The six-foot-five product of Harry Ainlay High School in Edmonton already has a height advantage over most opponents. It's that leaping ability that sets him apart from the rest.
The kid can dunk and his long limbs are going to look awfully good to UNBC green and gold to head coach Todd Jordan when Shittu (pronounced "shee too") arrives in August to start working out with his new team.
“Fareed is an explosive player that has the ability to make plays above the rim," said Jordan, in a UNBC release. "He only began playing late in his high school career, and because of this we think he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. Our coaching staff is excited about the opportunity to help him grow as a player and a person over the next five years as he pursues his university education.”
Shiitu grew up majoring in soccer as a kid in Edmonton. He didn't get serious about basketball until last season when he started finding the basket with regularity as a forward.
“I actually didn’t play basketball until Grade 11," Shittu said. "I am just in Grade 12, so that is not a very long time. Ever since then I just fell in love with the game, and I have been wanting to improve myself, and improve my game to play at the next level.
“I am very excited. This is a new beginning for me. This is a new door for me, and I am just happy to see where it takes me.
“The pace is a little bit faster. The guys don’t hesitate, they just make split-second decisions. In a lot of those, you just need to stay on your toes to get into the right spot. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
Shittu's family roots are in Nigeria and he decided on UNBC following a March visit to the campus on Cranbrook Hill, choosing the T-wolves over several other offers.
“I would rather go to a school that has a lot of interest in me, so they can help me improve my game and give me more opportunities to focus on the details," he said. "It is very open. I like that you can talk to someone if you need to. If you need some help with school, if you need some help with basketball, they are always there for you."
His high school team won the Edmonton city championship in 2018 and were runners-up this year.
The 17 year old plans to study business and is also interested in engineering.
“I have to get a good education first, and improve my basketball game," Shittu said. "The fast motion, the passes, the dunks, my teammates scoring, the high-fives running back to the bench. The support and the love from your team just makes it feel like a second home. Like a second family."
