Atlantic 10 Basketball: 5 questions with Loyola Chicago transfer Dame Adelekun

This week, I had the opportunity to talk to Loyola Chicago Basketball forward Dame Adelekun and ask him a few questions about his college basketball experience.

Adelekun grew up in North Carolina and committed to playing basketball at Dartmouth in 2019.

Adelekun is a 6’8” forward who primarily scores inside on the offensive end while providing a strong interior presence on the defensive end.

In his freshman year at Dartmouth, Adelekun only played nine games due to COVID canceling the season. Unfortunately, the following season, the Ivy League became the first and only conference that canceled its men’s and women’s basketball teams due to COVID.

After over a year off of collegiate basketball, Adekelun returned to Dartmouth as a junior. Adelekun split time between the starting lineup and coming off the bench. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.4 rebounds while playing less than 20 minutes per game.

This past season, as a senior, Adelekun found his stride. He put up 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game while starting all of his 27 games played and shooting 57% from the field. This earned Adelekun All-Ivy Second Team honors.

Adelekun, like all collegiate athletes, was granted an additional year of eligibility (on top of the usual extra year of eligibility) due to COVID. Adelekun used his first extra year of eligibility to transfer to Loyola University Chicago of the Atlantic 10 conference.

Adelekun has emerged as one of the top big men in the country and I am excited to see what’s ahead for him this season.

Here’s the interview: 

Q: You transferred from Dartmouth, one of the best academic colleges in the nation, to Loyola Chicago, a less prestigious university overall for the sake of basketball. Talk to me about that decision. Does this mean you plan to make a career out of basketball?

A:  My decision to transfer was definitely more of a basketball decision. However, Loyola Chicago also plays an academic role in it. I attend to get my MBA there. But overall, it was a basketball decision and I do intend to pursue a basketball career after college. I just gotta see what the best option is for me, basketball-wise after I graduate. I think if I play well, I do have a really good chance of going to the NBA G League.

Q: How much film and discussion is there on a team before you play them? Is the team constantly game-planning?

A: I can only speak on the Ivy League since I’ve only played there. But, the Ivy League is actually known for their in-depth reports and game preparations. At Dartmouth, we used to watch a lot of film for an upcoming matchup. Let’s say we play a team on Friday, we will probably start scouting them three days before and go more intense on scouting each day. Also, I’m a big film nut, so I tend to watch a lot of film on the players we play. There is a great deal of game planning and scouting at this level.

Q: Have the new NIL terms affected the mindset of a CBB player? Are you always on the lookout for new deals?

A: I think the NIL landscape really changes college basketball. I think it has shifted from more from like a high school playing for your school type of vibe to more of a professional level for athletes. I am not as much looking for new deals all the time. I will probably pursue that more when I get to school and get more situated. I think it’s a good thing that athletes try to create value off their skills. College athletes generate a lot of income for colleges, so it’s only right they are able to earn money from it.

Q: How much tougher are college practices and competition compared to High School?

A: It’s definitely a level up. My freshman year I remember the transition being very difficult, but as you get older, you get used to it. Now, as an upperclassman, practices are hard because I push myself. It’s just about adjusting to the pace of plays, the intensity, and how in-depth the practices are.

Q: What is the strongest part of your game?

A: I think I have many strong aspects to my game. I’m pretty athletic, I have a good wingspan, I block a lot of shots, and I score inside.

But those come from my understanding of the game. My ability to score inside is because I have a strong feel for what moves to do and how to attack. On offense, I am a good passer because I can read the court. My whole game is a byproduct of my basketball IQ. My brain is the strongest aspect of my game.

Thank you so much to Dame Adelekun for these fantastic responses. I wish him luck for the rest of his career.