FAYETTEVILLE — Sophomore forward S.K. Shittu might have been an unknown before Arkansas’ Elite Prospect Camp, but that’s not the case now after he showed startling athletic ability.
Shittu, 6-9, 186 pounds, of Rogers Providence Christian Academy combines excellent athleticism with length and was the best overall prospect among the approximately 60 athletes at Saturday's camp.
He arrived in Arkansas from Nigeria in October of last year and averaged 7.8 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks a game in high school this past season.
“It’s been very fun and very good,” said Shittu of the Arkansas camp. “I learned a lot of things right here.I got to meet some new people and new coaches. I learned a lot of new stuff. It was very fun to me and good.”
Shittu, who played with the 15-under Northwest Arkansas Wings this summer, gives maximum effort and is rarely seen loafing.
“I think I go hard,” Shittu said. “I think I did my best. I get tired at times I think I did my best and played hard all the time.”
His perspective of life is very different than the typical American.
“The first time he got to the house he said “Sir, what time does the electricity shut off?” said Providence Coach Austin Bivens. “He said 'In Lagos most nights it shuts off about 9.”
Shittu has worked with Wings Coach and former Razorback Brad Freiss on several parts of the game, including improving his vertical jump.
“When he first got here, he was already putting a finger or two over the top square of the backboard,” Bivens said.
Shittu, who’s drawing interest from Arkansas, Central Arkansas, Memphis and Southern Illinois, is working to improve.
“I think I need to work on my dribbling, because because I was hoping to be a wing sometime in college,” Shittu said. “I don't know if I'm going to grow up to 7 foot -one, so I'm working on my dribbling and jump shot and going up hard all the time, not taking too much dribbling before shoot the ball.”
Shittu was upbeat about his performance during the five-on-five competition.
“I think I did well boxing out, playing defense,” he said. “My offense was not that good, but I think I did my best to help my teammates by moving the ball, not letting the ball sit long on my hand. I did a couple jump shots. I think I did well for my team.”
His father and mother are about 6-4.
“Yeah, I think I'm still growing,” Shittu said. “I'm still growing, but I don't how tall I'm going to get.”
Basketball isn’t the only difference Shittu has experienced since arriving in the states.
“The food right here is so sweet compared to what I eat in Nigeria,” Shittu said. “They eat a lot of snacks here which I'm not really used to. It's really different, but I'm getting used to it.”
Shittu has an 84 inch wingspan. Bivens has seen research that shows players with a 7-foot wingspan usually make it to the next level.
“I forgot what the percentages were, but it’s very high that you’ll play Division I basketball if you’re a male with that type of a wing span,” Bivens said.