4.5 GPA Bay Area high school basketball star is ranked among top in California and Stanford-bound

RICHMOND, Calif. - If you haven’t heard of Stanford-bound Elias Obenyah yet, don’t be surprised if it’s a name you’ll become familiar with in the years to come.

The list of honors and accolades is long next to his name. The 17-year-old attends Salesian College Preparatory high school in Richmond, where he's not only an elite, highly ranked basketball player, but a distinguished student with a 4.5 grade point average.

Last week, he was named Boys Basketball Player of the Year by 49ers Cal-Hi Sports, after he helped bring his team to the state championship, extending Salesian’s season further than many had expected. 

Widely considered the underdog, the Salesian Pride completed the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) top open division as runner-up earlier this month at the state championship game in Sacramento against Southern California athletic powerhouse Sierra Canyon in a competitive 78-70 loss.

Obenyah scored a game-high of 27 points.

"I think that we still had a season that a lot of people didn't expect us to have. I am grateful to be a big part of that," the teen shared with KTVU.

College offers

After receiving offers from 21 colleges, including the California Golden Bears, UC San Diego, San Diego State, and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Obenyah ultimately committed to Stanford last fall.

"It was mostly just a good combination of basketball and academics," Obenyah said. "Stanford, it's hard to pass up on. So, I mean, getting the best of both worlds is, it's pretty nice."

The teen shared that he grew up in a home where academics have always been a top priority and said he's thinking about studying data science. 

"My dad and my mom just letting me know that basketball is not the only route once I get there," Obenyah said. "It has a lot to do with how I was brought up. My dad, he's from another country, so they take academics very seriously where he's from. So, as a kid, just him letting me know that sports is all good, but if you don't go the sports route, you're going to have to get a real job."

Leaving home at a young age

The backstory:

The high school senior, whose father is from Ghana, grew up in Ukiah in Mendocino County, where his mom is from and his family still resides.

He was just out of middle school, when the family made the decision to send the then rising basketball star to Salesian for high school.

"We started looking for options just outside of Ukiah because they have a good community and a good high school, but for sports, it's not really the best area to try and get recognition. So we just made the decision to come out to Salesian," he said.

A roughly two to two-and-a-half hour drive from Ukiah, that meant Obenyah would be living away from home to attend school.

He would move in with a host family who happened to be his first Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach for the team, the San Francisco Rebels.

Lots of support

Obenyah said the move from a small rural town to the Bay Area was a big change. 

"Growing up in just like a different area, with different people, you come here, and it's eye-opening really. So just to have a good group of friends and a good group of adults around me was really important," shared the teen, who turns 18 next week. 

That transition was harder in the first two years, living away from home at such a young age, but Obenyah said that his family was there with a lot of support to help him adjust.

"Just not having them there all the time, was just a different feel. So I think that they did a good job of supporting me, even with the distance though, like letting me know that they're still there for me," he said. "I know it's hard for them, but just giving me that type of freedom and knowing the opportunity that comes with it, I'm thankful for that."

The teen noted that his parents made a point to make it to his games and was there to cheer him on. 

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Obenyah also credited varsity Head Coach Bill Mellis and the school’s rigorous program with helping him gain strength and skills not only on the court but with his studies, skills, he said, that will pay dividends in college and beyond. 

"I think a big part of it that goes unnoticed is probably how much Mellis and the program have done for me. We have mandatory study halls. So it makes it easy for you to manage your time. It's not something you just have to do on your own and figure out. I think that's a big part of me going to college is just time management," the basketball star said, adding, "Going to help me a lot in the future." 

Stanford commitment

When Obenyah’s commitment to Stanford was announced, Mellis praised his standout player for his work ethic and for serving as an exemplary role model, saying that in his 25-plus years at Salesian, he hasn’t seen a better example of what it means to be a "student-athlete." 

In a correspondence with KTVU, Mellis commended Obenyah for not only his unyielding commitment and dedication to the sport, but the hard work he puts in to be an outstanding student.

"Elias is a terrific young man," Mellis shared. "He holds a 4.5 GPA so it's not just about athletics for him. As far as his game is concerned, he is one of the biggest gym rats we've ever coached. He literally will find a gym to workout in every day. It is this drive that has allowed him to succeed on the court," the coach added.

Standing at an imposing 6-foot-5-inches, the versatile point and shooting combo guard is ranked #1 in Northern California, by basketball scouting site Prep Hoops and top 10 in the state, according to the site 247Sports.

Stanford’s announcement included a list of accomplishments and recognitions, including being ranked 134th in the country, and in his junior year being named All-CIF first team and All-CIF Northern California Selection and CIF NorCal first team, as well as being the Tri-County Athletic League Most Valuable Player with Salesian.

Cardinal Head Coach Kyle Smith described him as "a modern-day playmaker."  

In a statement released to KTVU, Smith said the Cardinals were looking forward to the addition of the tenacious player to the team.

"Elias is a hard-nosed winner who will do anything to get the result," the coach said. "We are very excited for his arrival on campus."

Future goals

Obenyah said playing professional basketball and getting to the NBA is what he's aiming for, a dream that progressed into a targeted goal the more time he spent playing the game.

"Yeah, that’s how I see myself right now," the high school senior said. "When I was younger, I don't think that I was really thinking about this, like too hard, but as the years went on, and I played more basketball, it started to become more of a vision for me."

Being a role model is an ‘opportunity'

The eldest of three children, Obenyah is aware of his position as a role model, one that he said doesn’t feel like a responsibility, but rather a deeply appreciated "opportunity" and one that he takes seriously. 

"I think it's really nice if you get to influence kids in a positive way. A lot of people out there who don't really have a figure like that in their life, so to be able to be that figure is pretty important to me," the teen shared.  

What's next:

As the senior looks ahead to the next stage of his journey, it’s all the emotions many of those getting ready for the end of high school are going through. He’s grateful for the support and opportunities that were afforded to him by his family, sad to say goodbye to his school community, and also excited for what’s next.  

And like a warrior on the court, the basketball star is poised and ready to attack the next move with resolve and purpose.    

"I think that obviously, knowing that the four years went by that quickly and knowing it's over, and I won't be around my teammates and classmates and faculty as much as I am right now, that's a pretty sad feeling, but it's cool to see how everyone's progressed over the four years, too," the teen said. "And then knowing what you're onto after, that is just like a new sense of determination." 

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