Hairston officially a Duck
Oregon officially announced Malik Hairston’s signing of a National Letter of Intent on Thursday, just one day after the Detroit native said in a press conference that he was bound for Eugene.
“This concludes a remarkable recruiting class for Oregon,” said head coach Ernie Kent, who is in Kansas City, Mo., attending meetings for the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ board of directors. “Malik is one of the top 10 players in the country.”
Hairston, a 2004 All-American, averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game for Renaissance High School during his senior season. As a junior, he averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds per game while getting six assists per contest.
The 6-foot-6-inch wing averaged 18.7 points, 12.4 rebounds, six assists and 2.7 steals per game in his career at Renaissance.
Hairston, whose father, Richard, played for Morris Brown College in Atlanta, is also a member of the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Select Team and participated in the 2003 USA Basketball Developmental Festival.
“It was the overall picture,” Malik Hairston told The Detroit News of his decision to head west. “There are a lot of connections. Plus, it’s the coach. I should have said that first. He’s the one I’m going to play for. It’s his temperament that suits me. They play a transition game, and transition is suited to my style of playing.
“All I can tell people is to watch Oregon next year. I don’t have any worries about playing away from home. It’s going to turn out well. I’m confident my decision was the right one.”
Hairston joins fellow signees Maarty Leunen, Chamberlain Oguchi, Bryce Taylor and Kenny Love to form a five-man recruiting class.

— Hank Hager