OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Westside’s London Dada has become a problem for opposing defenses this season, combining his shooting ability with an expanded all-around game.
“I like to think of myself as a good teammate first,” Dada said.
The junior guard/forward has drawn praise from head coach Jim Simons for his perimeter shooting skills
“He has always been a really, really talented shooter, a really, really capable perimeter shooter,” Simons said.
Simons also noted that Dada’s impact extends well beyond scoring.
That versatility was on full display in the Metro Holiday Tournament championship game against Creighton Prep, where Dada led all scorers with 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.
“I bring a lot of scoring, defense, rebounding,” Dada said. “I just want to make sure I help my team win as best as I can.”
Simons highlighted the rebounding performance as particularly impressive.
“His rebounding, I mean 16 rebounds in the championship game is quite the stat,” Simons said.
Now standing at 6-foot-8, Dada has grown both physically and in his basketball skills, creating new possibilities for his game.
“He’s grown, but he’s also gotten stronger. He’s gotten better off the bounce, which has allowed him to be a little bit more diverse and versatile in the ways he can score and where he can score it from,” Simons said.
The height increase has also changed Dada’s role with the Warriors.
“It’s a little different being a little taller,” Dada said. “This team, I’m more of a guard. Traditionally, I’ll be more of a wing or power forward, small forward. It’s different, but it will help me out.”
Dada’s emergence represents a significant transformation from his previous role on the team.
“London a year ago was kind of the fifth, sixth, seventh man on the team. He’s grown a couple inches, he had a tremendous summer and now all of a sudden he’s got this attention focused on him that he hasn’t had before,” Simons said.
That attention has translated into scholarship offers from Division I programs, including Creighton, Nebraska and Omaha.
“All the work I put in when I was younger — not that I didn’t know if it was going to pay off — it’s good to see it pay off. It’s good to see myself play well, people be proud of me, people say I’m good and all that stuff,” Dada said.
Despite the recruiting interest, Dada remains focused on his current season and is taking a measured approach to his college decision.
“I’m still a kid. I’m playing basketball, it’s supposed to be fun. I don’t have to make a decision. I’m only a junior, I have a lot of time, so I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” Dada said.
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