Introduction
Omaha Koke Biliew (born September 1, 2004) is an American college basketball player for the Iowa State Cyclones of the Big 12 Conference. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class.
Early life and high school career
Biliew grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa and initially attended Dowling Catholic High School. He averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a freshman at Dowling Catholic before transferring to Waukee High School in Waukee, Iowa before the start of his sophomore year after initially stating his intention to transfer to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. Biliew averaged 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game as a sophomore. He transferred to Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri after his first year at Waukee. Biliew spent his junior year at Link Year, but transferred back to Waukee after the end of the school year. Biliew was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Boys Game during his senior year.
Recruiting
Biliew was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, according to major recruiting services. On July 26, 2022, he committed to playing college basketball for Iowa State over offers from Kansas and Oregon. Biliew also considered playing professionally in the NBA G League. He is the highest-rated recruit to commit to Iowa State in the program's history.
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Biliew PF |
Denison, IA | Link Year Prep (MO) | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Jul 26, 2022 | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 92 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 11 247Sports: 13 ESPN: 11 | ||||||
Sources:
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National team career
Biliew was named to the United States under-19 basketball team to play in the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.