Chicago is known as a factory for producing some of basketballs top stars. Lakers Anthony Davis, former Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade, and league MVP Derek Rose are a few that come to mind.
But Coach Andy Shaw has some of Chi-towns top talent right here at Allen Community College.
Windy City product Malik Hardmon has arguably been the prestigious Jayhawk Conferences top player for 2019-20. The sophomore forward is averaging just over 18 points along with 9 rebounds per contest.
But before Hardmon became a star on the court for ACC, he had to find his way to Iola.
I was able to go NCAA D-II or D-III if I wanted to, Hardmon said. I could have walked on at a D-I, but I just wanted to go the JUCO route.
Shaw heard word of Hardmons skill through another JUCO coach. That coach didnt have any remaining scholarships available, so Shaw jumped on the opportunity to bring Hardmon to ACC.
While Hardmon had never set foot in Iola before the start of the fall semester in 2018, he had no issue trading in the big-city lifestyle for the rural plains of southeast Kansas. In fact, he considers it a perfect fit.
I feel like it matched my personality because I am more of a laid-back, quiet person, Hardmon said. Even though I was in Chicago, I was still always to myself. With Iola kind of being a smaller town, it really fit well because I wasnt really looking to go out of my dorm too much, or go to places, or party a lot.
Last season as a freshman, Hardmon made his mark averaging 13 points and eight rebounds per contest.
He does a lot of things that dont show up in the box score, Shaw said. He just plays relentlessly, and we saw it last year. He was kind of that quiet leader because we had Perry Carrol, Darius Love, and Wesley Anderson, who were the vocal voices for the team. This year, I challenged him and said that his leadership role was going to have to increase.
Usually one who leads by example and uses few words, Hardmon reflects that of NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard.
It is funny that you say that because when I was in high school, everyone always told me that I look like Kawhi Leonard, Hardmon said. Everyone tells me that I look like him, act like him, and sound like him.
Just as Leonard has taken vocal ownership of his Los Angeles Clippers this season, so has Hardmon for ACC.
This year it is his team, and he has gotten out of his comfort zone, and started speaking probably more than he wants to, Shaw said. He has always led by example by how hard he plays, and he reallys sets the tone for us. He has been getting a lot of compliments from every coach that weve played over the course of the whole game.
Hardmons signature performance so far this season came against No. 5 Hutchinson Community College, when he recorded a career high 39 points in the victory.
When I heard about how good Hutchinson was, I just wanted to beat them, Hardmon said. I came out with the mentality that Im going to go at these guys, and not back down because I dont like to feel overwhelmed from the competition. I want to go at the competition.
