Through the course of his college career, Iowa senior Gabriel Olaseni developed from a raw teenager, who had only been playing basketball for a couple of years in his native England, into one of the most impactful role players in the country. Coming off the bench for the Hawkeyes, Olaseni was counted on for giving the team a spark, often with his spectacular rebounding and shot-blocking ability.
Though his impact was limited in his first two seasons as a Hawkeye, Olaseni kept working and emerged as one of the top bench players in the Big 10 as a junior, averaging 6.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just under 17 minutes per game.
Olaseni, who didn’t start playing basketball until he was 13 years old, developed consistently during his time at Iowa, to the point where there are aspects of his game that he feels will translate well to the professional level. “Adding strength has helped, especially with my work around the basket on both ends of the floor,” explained Olaseni. “Plus, I have really worked on my understanding of how to play defense as a big guy, as well as showing ability to step out and shoot the ball.”
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Looking back over his four years at Iowa, Olaseni also saw some larger development from when he first arrived. “Having only played since I was 13 or 14, my basketball IQ, understanding the game more, and the nuances, has really improved,” said Olaseni.
He doesn’t believe his development was limited to the basketball court. “I learned a lot about being humble,” Olaseni said. “Plus leaving my country to come here and play basketball and pursue my education helped me mature.”
Olaseni credits much of his development on and off the court to the Iowa coaching staff, but especially Head Coach Fran McCaffrey. “Coach McCaffrey was great to play for, and he has such a passion for the game,” said Olaseni.
McCaffrey has had a reputation as a hot-head when he is coaching, but Olaseni says that all isn’t what it seems. “He only gets angry with you when you don’t do something you’re supposed to, something you can control,” Olaseni explained. “The important thing is to listen to what he says, not how he says it. The day he stops shouting at you is the day he doesn’t care anymore.”
Heading into this past season, Olaseni had already established himself as a good role player for an Iowa team that was winning games. As a senior who had been in the program for three years already, he could have expected to be named a starter. It was in the team’s best interest to have him coming off the bench, so Olaseni set a goal for himself – be named the Big 10’s Sixth Man of the Year. “I had to stay humble, knowing that I would still be in position to help the team,” said Olaseni. “As for setting the goal, if you’re going to come off the bench, you may as well be the best at it.”
While Olaseni was excelling in his on-court role, he also had to deal with a major loss off the court when his father, Benson Olaseni, passed away in England. Rather than head home right away, Olaseni opted to stay with the team, to continue playing and going to class, where he found great support in his teammates and coaches. “When I decided to stay, I tried to see it as being a professional in that situation,” explained Olaseni. “No matter what is happening off the court, it’s still important to produce when you’re called upon. My teammates and coaches were there for me, and being close to something you love really helps you through.”
When the season ended, Olaseni had reached one of his goals. He was named the Big 10’s Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in under 19 minutes per game, and was among the conference’s leaders in total offensive rebounds and blocks. Going back through Iowa’s season, which ended in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament to Gonzaga, you’ll find many instances where Olaseni came up with a big play on both ends of the floor.
After the season ended, Olaseni received an invite to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. He impressed the NBA personnel in attendance while leading the tournament in blocked shots, and finishing second overall in rebounding, while playing more minutes than any other invitee.
Olaseni find the Portsmouth experience to be a positive one for him as he starts his career as a professional basketball player. “I just wanted to go down there and do the things I do well, like beating my guy down the floor, rebounding, and blocking shots,” Olaseni said. “It was a great experience to play against the top seniors, and I would recommend the opportunity to anyone.”
Now, Olaseni is looking forward to working on the areas of his game that he knows will be important for him at the next level. “I know I need to polish my offensive game more, including expand my moves in the post,” Olaseni explained. “Also, I know becoming more consistent with my shooting, especially my mid-range shot, will be important.
Olaseni, who will graduate from Iowa with a degree in Journalism, is excited for the next step in his career and looks forward to showing teams what he can do for them. “I was a four-year player, but I haven’t been playing that long, and I’m tried and tested, so you know what you’re going to get from me,” said Olaseni. “I will bring a team a hard worker, team player, and someone who will do anything to help the team win. I’m ready for the next challenge.”
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