A long and lean blue-chip recruit began his reign at Oregon much the way he approaches the game he loves: quietly dangerous.
He poured in a “quiet” 30 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes of play in his first appearance at McArthur Court.
He is deemed the most prestigious player Oregon has ever recruited.
He has been asked to fill the shoes of one of the best players Oregon has ever seen in Luke Jackson.
He is only 17 years old.
And Malik Hairston isn’t phased by any of it.
“I don’t feel any of that pressure at all,” the Detroit native said of his role on the team. “I have confidence in my game that I can get the job done.”
Assistant coach Kenny Payne said that Hairston’s performance thus far shows how he can handle the spotlight.
“For a 17-year-old kid to be averaging 13 points, four rebounds and three assists per game is pretty amazing,” the first-year assistant said. “He has a love and is a student of the game and is working to be his best. He wants to win and he pushes his teammates and he pushes me.”
He is unlike many top recruits because he plays the game with great intelligence and excellent fundamentals combined with phenomenal physical abilities.
Point guard Aaron Brooks sees first-hand everyday what Hairston brings to the court.
“Malik isn’t the type of guy who is going to dazzle the crowd,” Brooks added. “He stays within the system and handles the pressure extremely well.”
Brooks still doesn’t believe he’s so young.
“I don’t think he’s 17,” Brooks said. “I haven’t seen a birth certificate or anything so I think he’s like 19.”
Going up and over
Growing up in Detroit, Hairston has been surrounded by basketball since he could walk. His father played basketball at Morris Brown College in Atlanta and his older brothers also played.
“I think I tried to dribble and shoot when I was three,” Hairston said.
As for being young for his grade, Hairston said his mom enrolled him in school early.
“I went from pre-school to first grade and skipped kindergarten,” Hairston said. “My mom said I was bored — at least that is how she explained it.”
Hairston would step into high school and grow nearly eight inches, leading to a breakout season his junior year. He led Renaissance High School to the first of two city championships that same season.
During his senior year he led his team to city and state titles while accumulating a 27-0 record. He would average 20 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists per game and would record his fondest basketball memory.
During the state playoffs, he broke a mid-court trap with only one person between him and the basket.
“I ran up and the guy was about 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5 and was trying to take a charge and I jumped over him and dunked it,” Hairston said. “I’ve never actually jumped over somebody before. I guess I got an extra boost.
“I might have ate my Wheaties that night.”
He would be invited to play in the McDonald’s All-American game, and after that his decision would have to be made.
Heading West
Hairston wouldn’t decide to come to Oregon until late in the recruiting process because he was unsure of whether he wanted to go to college or enter the NBA draft.
“People thought I was an inconvenience to a lot of coaches,” Hairston said. “But that’s my future, and that’s much more important to me than anybody’s program. I just wanted to make the best decision for me and I felt I had the right to do that.”
He knew fellow freshman Maarty Leunen from basketball camps around the country and asked where he was going. Oregon was one of his choices.
“I remember meeting Coach (Scott) Duncan, but didn’t know who he was, didn’t know anything about Oregon or that there was a University of Oregon,” Hairston said.
But Hairston was attracted to the run-and-gun offense, and Payne said he was ready for the challenge.
“I know how elated he was to join this program, play for Ernie Kent and to have the opportunity to build on the tradition that is already here,” Payne said.
Unfortunately for Oregon fans, the more this youngster’s game continues to improve, the more likely it will be that he may leave Oregon early for the NBA.
“I would like to stay here for
as long as I can,” Hairston said. “But if I’m blessed with the opportunity I’m going to snatch it up like any person would.”
But Hairston’s goals and competitive drive to win are focused on this team.
“Right now it is all about Oregon basketball,” Hairston said. “I’m never hesitant to say I want a national championship. I also want a Pac-10 championship.
“I want as many as I can get.”

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