Playing basketball was just a plus for Muktar Abdi when he moved to San Jose from his native Djibouti in Northeast Africa. Abdi moved to America when he was seven years old and has gradually adjusted to the American lifestyle. A senior combination guard for Willow Glen, he averaged 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists last season in helping the Rams go 15-11 as the season ended in the playoffs to Sacred Heart Cathedral 70-61.
At 6-foot and 175 pounds, Abdi can run 4.50 seconds in the 40-yard dash, can bench press 195 pounds, squat 200 pounds, and has a 35 inch vertical. He has been playing organized basketball since he was in 6th grade and has been a varsity starter since his freshman year. He played as a freshman at William C. Overfelt High before transferring to Willow Glen.
Abdi considers himself to be finesse and slashing type of player as he uses his crossover dribble to create space for a pull up jumper. He model's his game after former Wake Forest star Chris Paul and Georgetown star Allen Iverson because of their ability to control a game with their passing and scoring.
During the offseason, he plays for his Bay Area Heat club team where he works on his ball control and shooting. He hopes his efforts will help the Rams to league and division titles while getting him more recruiting attention. Abdi has been averaging close to 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists during this current season.
Despite his scoring abilities, no colleges have been in contact with Abdi. He would like to play for a program that has a run and gun style of play because he likes to play in an up tempo offense. Abdi would like to be close to home. He has a 3.40 GPA with a 1350 SAT score and plans to major in Business.
When Abdi first came to America in 2000, he struggled to learn English. He grew up in the countryside of Djibouti and never saw a basketball hoop until he came to America. In addition, his move to San Jose was like a time travel experience as he never saw technologies such as computers or video games previously. More importantly, his new home had basic infrastructure such as electricity and running water while he felt safe as he did not have to deal with the political instability of the country that was going through civil wars.
Abdi's biggest basketball hardship pales in comparison to his upbringing in Djibouti and his transition to America. He considers his sophomore CCS playoff game against Valley Christian when he had a poor game that cost his team the game to be a turning point. He questioned his ability but stayed motivated to develop his basketball skills.
Abdi is a scorer who can definitely provide a spark to any team's offensive scheme. Look for this Ram to charge through on the college level.
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