Over the years, Oakland University forwards and centers have played with plenty of muscle. In the Division I era, those positions often belonged to strong, physical players who could score through contact, clear the glass and throw their weight around under the basket.
Consider the past names that have patrolled the paint. Hopes, Petros, Hill-Mais, Naivalurua. They supplied bulk and power, controlling the low block while providing scoring and rebounding.
Shawn Hopes — The Concrete Block: At 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, Hopes used his offensive lineman’s frame to establish position, absorb contact and finish efficiently around the rim. He shot 54.2 percent from the field during his Oakland career.
Corey Petros — Peaches Don’t Bruise: Petros was a model of durability and consistency across 135 career games. His 1,073 career rebounds make him one of the best in program history.
Xavier Hill-Mais — Bully-Baller: Hill-Mais combined a 261-pound frame with nifty footwork, turning deep catches and short drives into easy layups. In his junior season, he averaged 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds.
Tuburu Naivalurua — The Modern Big: Buru paired old-school toughness with quick feet and defensive versatility while developing a perimeter touch. He finished his final season at Oakland averaging 14.3 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Belal El Shakery now arrives with the build and background to carry that tradition forward.
At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, El Shakery is a natural fit.
A native of Alexandria, Egypt, he has taken a career path to the O’rena that required patience and adjustment. El Shakery appeared in 29 games as a Wofford freshman in 2023–24, averaging 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds. Injuries limited him to just eight games the following season.
Transferring to New Hampshire led to a breakout season in 2025–26: 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while starting 29 contests. New Hampshire’s interior defense was centered around his ability to play through contact and protect the rim. That production earned him America East Third Team honors and showed he could handle starter’s minutes, excel as a rebounder and serve as a valuable post presence.
He wouldn’t be the first one-year transfer to make an immediate impact here. Allen Mukeba joined Oakland for the 2024–25 season and ended up being named to the All-Horizon League Second Team, averaging 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with eight double-doubles.
So is El Shakery the next “big” big man for the Golden Grizzlies? He was recruited to be. Rebounding was a priority for Coach Kampe as he built this roster.
El Shakery is not an exact copy of any past player. His rebounding numbers most closely resemble Petros’ (dependable every night), his paint-first approach recalls Hopes (physical presence in the post) and his 240-pound frame matches Naivalurua’s (does he approach Buru’s athleticism?). That’s a lot to live up to. Yet Oakland will be depending on his low-post scoring and rebounding this season as part of an all-new frontcourt.
He will be expected to establish deep position, create second chances and clean the glass. Improvement away from the basket would raise his offensive ceiling, but he does not need to become a volume scorer to make a significant impact. Better free-throw shooting (49 percent) would be nice.
The names before him set a demanding standard. But the opportunity at Oakland is clear for El Shakery — bring his potential double-double production to the Horizon League and convert physical play into efficient interior offense and solid defense. If that happens, he can become the frontcourt anchor the Golden Grizzlies need.
Pound for pound, Oakland has never lacked toughness on the low block.
Belal, welcome to the O’rena. You’ve got next. Time to throw some weight around.
Words by Air the Bear · October 26, 2026
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