Former college basketball star Elijah Olaniyi has died at the age of 26 after a battle with brain cancer.
Olaniyi spent three seasons at Stony Brook on Long Island from 2017-2020. He played one season at Miami (FL) and then chose to return to Stony Brook for one final year.
Both schools released statements on their social media accounts. Stony Brook’s read, ‘Earlier today, our Seawolves family lost one of our own when Elijah Olaniyi passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Elijah will live on in the hearts and minds of all who loved him. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.’
Miami quote-tweeted that statement, saying, ‘Sending love to Elijah’s family, friends and the entire Stony Brook community.’
The Brooklyn-born, Newark-raised swingman was diagnosed with brain cancer in November of 2023 – which ended his hopes of pursuing a career as a pro basketball player overseas.
That December, Olaniyi underwent three surgeries which removed 95 percent of the tumor in his brain, which came back as cancerous after a biopsy. Within a matter of weeks, he had begun radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
Former Stony Brook swingman Elijah Olaniyi has passed away at 26 after battling brain cancer
Olaniyi played four seasons at Stony Brook – with one year at Miami in-between those
Olaniyi’s tumor had been undetected in his brain since his senior year. Doctors had determined that seizures and mental health issues he was experiencing in his final year of school were symptoms of that tumor.
At the time of the tumor’s discovery, Olaniyi was playing semi-pro basketball in Luxembourg. He announced on December 7, 2023 that he was retiring due to ‘unexpected health issues’.
Olaniyi developed into something of an unheralded talent across his first three seasons of college basketball – with his junior year a highlight as he averaged 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
After his junior year, he initially declared for the NBA Draft. He eventually withdrew his name from the pool and transferred to Miami – where he averaged 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists across 21 games.
He returned to Stony Brook for the 2021-22 season, but only played seven games due to a series of health issues. He eventually left the team in February of 2021 due to injury and Stony Brook’s inability to participate in the postseason after switching conferences.
Olaniyi is ninth on Stony Brook’s all-time scoring list, seventh on the school’s steals list and tenth all-time in rebounds.
