6-foot-7 Basketball Star Receives Nebraska Football Offer

Huskers give 2025 prospect Manasse Kasongo Malu something to consider

Manasse Kasongo Malu /

It isn’t every day you see a primary basketball player get an offer for football. That was the case, though, for Manasse Kasongo Malu when he visited a recent Nebraska football practice.

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound junior is a center on the hardwood and a defensive end on the gridiron for East High School in Sioux City, Iowa. After his March 28 visit to Lincoln, he came away with his first football offer. It likely won’t be his last.

The 2025 prospect had positive things to say about the Nebraska program and his offer.

“What makes Nebraska unique is the city, the people there, and the fact they care about education and life after sports.”

People tend to forget it’s not all about sports. Many of these players won’t make it to the next level, and that’s why schooling can be so important. You never know what’s the next step in life.

“Coach Matt Rhule (head coach), Coach Terrance Knighton (defensive line coach), Keith Williams (assistant director of player personnel) and Vincent Johnson (track and field assistant coach) are who I connected with the most because they understood what my position was and didn’t make me rush anything, and they were really reasonable with me and I felt like I could have a good connection with them if I do end up there for football.”

As mentioned, he is a basketball star, and he talked about how he was shocked to receive an offer for football.

“Yeah I am a big-time basketball star and I never really believed I was good at football so I never took it as seriously, But now that I got that offer, I will definitely take it more seriously and put in work to make sure I am at the top of my game."

He also confirmed that even though basketball is his main sport, he is considering football with Nebraska.