Sophomore forward Abdul-Malik Abu of the NC State men’s basketball team is in the midst of his best collegiate season yet. Malik has been the foundation of a young Wolfpack team this season, and considering what he’s been through the past year, he’s been nothing short of inspiring.
Before Malik committed to play at NC State, he went on several recruiting trips around the country as he weighed his collegiate options. A devout Muslim, Malik said the Muslim community here in Raleigh was a big factor in his decision to play for the Pack. And it was because of these recruiting trips that Malik met Deah Barakat.
“I met [Deah] through the community and the mosque,” Malik said. “They were a big part of me coming here.”
Although the two met through the Muslim community of Raleigh, it was basketball that really brought them together.
“After one of the 3-on-3 tournaments at Carmichael, that’s when I really got to know him well,” Malik said. “I got to interact with him, and then he later went on to invite me to his wedding.”
Right away, Malik said he enjoyed hanging out with Deah.
“He just had a positive Aura,” Malik said. “He loved State more than anything, he was a family guy with a competitive spirit and just wanted to see us play well, and he was happy I was here.”
Their love for basketball was an integral part of their friendship, and Malik told Deah at his wedding in December 2014 that his gift to him would be wins over arch-rivals Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill.
A few weeks later, Malik and the Pack beat the No. 1 Blue Devils in January, but fell to the Tar Heels at home later that month. Then, on Feb. 10, Deah, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha and her sister Razan Abu-Salha were killed in Chapel Hill.
After their deaths, Malik wanted more than ever to deliver on the promise he made to Deah back in December. And he did just that as the Pack beat the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill for the first time in 12 years.
“That meant a lot,” Malik said. “Just to be able to do even that, because the ACC is such a tough league. [That] I was able to fulfill my promise even after he died was a big thing for me.”
Now, a year later, Malik wants people to remember Deah, Yusor and Razan for their positive influence on the community and everyone in the Triangle.
“In the wake of everything that happened, they made the community stronger,” Malik said. “They were really kind, calm, just extraordinary people. They did a lot of work to help people less fortunate than them. They did a lot of community work. They wanted to bring everyone together.”
Malik emphasized the importance of the community and the vital role it played both before and after what happened. In the wake of adversity, the community is stronger than ever and will always remember Deah, Yusor and Razan for all they did.
“The community’s doing well,” Malik said. “People are happy, they’re together. Wednesday’s going to be a sad day, but you know, it’s also gonna be a happy day, too, to remember the good things Deah did and what he left us.”
Reflecting back on what happened helps Malik view how to live life differently. Even though he lost his friends to tragedy, he still has a positive outlook on life thanks to the memories he made with them.
“Losing Deah just kind of opened my eyes to everything, put everything in perspective,” Malik said. “You just gotta live life to the fullest. You can’t take anything for granted.”
