There wasn’t some unexpectedly robust growth spurt, as was the case with Derrick White after he left Parker’s Legend High School for Division II UCCS. And while Elijah Malone may have played at a small high school, college recruiters don’t tend to overlook northern Indiana.
Malone has no good explanation as to why his best collegiate hoops option was Grace College, an NAIA program roughly an hour from his home in LaGrange, Ind. Still, it was an opportunity Malone tackled with focused zeal.
Following a decorated four-year career at Grace, the 6-foot-10 Malone will take his shot at the highest level of college basketball with the Colorado Buffaloes, as CU rejoins the Big 12 Conference for the 2024-25 campaign. Malone essentially serves as a replacement for center Eddie Lampkin Jr., who played a key starting role for the Buffs’ NCAA Tournament team before transferring to Syracuse.
Lampkin thrived in his one season at CU. Head coach Tad Boyle and his staff hope a similar fit unfolds with Malone.
“I’m not really sure. Just a late bloomer, I guess,” Malone recently told BuffZone. “I credit my coaches and my teammates here (at Grace). It was just an incredible environment to be able to grow, to be able to change not only on the court, but off the court. Which I think is a big role in being able to perform on the court, is how you’re able to perform off the court.
“That was something I started looking into around November or December. Originally over the summer, I was just planning on going pro after my senior year.”
Malone easily could have taken his chances at a higher level a year ago, after a junior season in 2022-23 in which he averaged 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting .618 from the field. Yet Malone instead returned to Grace and put together a monster season, averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds with a .630 shooting percentage, leading Grace to the NAIA semifinals.
In 139 career games at Grace, Malone averaged 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. Despite his size, Malone posted a solid .394 mark (99-for-251) from 3-point range. So intent was Malone on giving himself the biggest challenge, both on the floor and off, he chose to commit to CU even though he had never previously visited the state prior to his official visit. Malone also chose CU over Indiana and Notre Dame, even though his father and grandparents are from South Bend, Ind.
Malone took note of the career numbers Lampkin put up in his lone season at CU. He’s confident he can make a similar mark.
“He fits in perfectly,” Boyle said. “The way he plays and our style of play, our five-out system, and he can shoot the three. For a guy his size, that’s very rare. Obviously he gives us some size inside, both defensively and offensively. He’s a good player.
“Nobody knew him out of high school, much less power five schools or even NCAA Division I schools. He turned into obviously a great, great player. Is the level different? Sure. Is there going to be an adjustment period for Elijah? Yes, there will be. But he’s going to be a good player for us.”