The DMV has long been a hotbed for basketball talent. One of the brightest lights shining out of Montgomery County is Baba Oladotun from James Hubert Blake High School. The Silver Spring native is the top ranked sophomore in the entire country – not county but COUNTRY – with offers from Division 1 institutions rolling in. And this is just be the beginning for Oladotun.
Starting at DeMatha Catholic High School, a nationally-recognized basketball program, Oladotun transferred to Blake, a public school in Cloverly. Typically, top athletes transfer from public schools to private schools. A recent example is Jordan Hawkins, a guard with the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. Hawkins started at Gaithersburg High School, transferred to DeMatha then helped UConn win a national championship two years ago.
But there is not much typical about Oladotun.
A 6’9″, the lengthy small forward reminds many of legendary Prince George’s County product Kevin Durant, a veteran NBA superstar on his way to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Both have the ability to stretch the floor with their ball-handling, quick footwork and jump shot.
“He’s obviously one of the greatest scorers of all time.'” Oladotum said of Durant. “Him being from this area and playing for his AAU team, it’s definitely humbling and an honor” to be compared to the local legend he told MCM.
Oladotun shooting isn’t his only weapon. At 6 ‘9″ he can breeze past defenders and throw down powerful dunks.
Knowing Blake head coach Desmin Wade since a child made the transition from private school to public school smooth.
“Before he went to DeMatha, we would talk about it, and obviously he ended up going to DeMatha and literally when I got the word, it was like alright he is coming home, family member coming home,” Wade said.
Growing up playing basketball with his dad, Oladotun realized that the time he spent on the court with his dad was translating into his in-game play.
“All this stuff that me and my dad worked on footwork and fundamentals, and I was able to translate it to the game and my confidence was at an all high,” said Oladotun.
Since he was seven years old, Oladotun played against middle schoolers. He remembers dominating the league and being able to hit shots from anywhere on the court.
“I was tearing stuff up and hitting shots from everywhere… I would play like middle schoolers and I was like 7 years old dominating, I would be taller than them and so skilled,” said Oladotun.
Though listed as a small forward on recruiting outlets, Oladotun often brings the ball up the court for the Bengals. Other than Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, 6’9″ point guards are rare in the history of basketball. With his height and shifty ball handling, Oladotun bringing up the ball allows him to create shots quickly off the dribble.
Before he was the top-ranked sophomore in the country, Oladotun was the number one ranked freshman in the nation. A five-star recruit with a 98 rating from 247 sports, Oladuton sets himself apart as the best player in Maryland 2027 class with the next closest prospect being a four star with a rating of 91.
Oladotun is eager to continue working on his skills at Blake while making a positive impact on his team and embracing all the challenges ahead.
“Trying to win county player of the year—that’s been my goal since the beginning of the season… All Met first team has also been a goal of mine,” said Oladotun.
His stock is rising…quickly. Montgomery County basketball fans hope that recent history doesn’t repeat itself. Over recent years, some top Maryland prospects have taken their talents elsewhere. Derik Queen, who sold out basketball games at Saint Francis Academy in Baltimore, transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida. Similarly, Kwame Evans, another top recruit playing at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, transferred to Montverde.
“It’s home, and it’s close to home—the coaching staff is one of the best coaching staffs in the country, I think, and the community here—I know a lot of friends and people that I grew up with,” said Oladotun.
The allure of playing at national prep schools is undeniable, as it puts a lens on high school basketball players like no other. But this didn’t persuade Oladotun, who trusts Coach Wade and knows where hard work can get him.
“He’s just helped me be more consistent on both sides of the ball– be a better rebounder—I say that’s something I struggled with before I came here, he helped me be more aggressive on that end,” said Oladotun.
Elevating his game to the next level is one of Oladotun’s greatest ambitions, but at the core of his journey is his unwavering faith in God, which he continues to prioritize above all else.
Oladotun proudly expresses his Christian faith, and expects any college that recruits him to reciprocate those same values.
“A great academic school, that’s the number one thing. I’m a Christian as well, so it definitely has to be like a good campus ministry as well,” said Oladuton.
Despite all the accolades and attention, Oladotun is conscious of not getting a big head.
“Staying humble and knowing god gave all these gifts and without god I’m nothing,” said Oladotun.
With county and state playoffs coming up. Coach Wade knows how important this time of the year is and calls Oladuton at any time to tell him how important his defensive effort will be down the stretch.
“I’ll literally hit him at midnight and send him a clip of this read or defense– he’ll get a text at any time of the night or a phone call, where just trying to get better every day,” said Wade.
Not surprisingly, Oladotun’s numbers are gaudy. He finished the regular season averaging 22.1 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assist per game while shooting 63% from the field and 42% from three-point range. Remember, he’s just a sophomore.
Blake earned a 66-51 victory over Wootton to finish out the regular season Friday. With the win, Blake finished the season 19-1 – the best regular season record in program history – and earned a berth into the MCPS County Championship game against Northwest High School on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. at Richard Montgomery High School.
And then the state playoffs are next. The Bengals have a first round bye and will wait to see who they will host in the regional semi finals.
Winning the county and 3A state titles would only add to Oladuton’s growing legacy.
Photo by Phil Fabrizio
