Waukee's Omaha Biliew: A big star, and an even bigger heart

Basketball star Omaha Biliew has the skills of a future NBA player. He’s headed toward the McDonald’s All American Game, followed by a career at Iowa State and is an almost certain choice to be Iowa’s Mr. Basketball.

He’s regarded as one of the nation’s top players, with lofty averages of 22 points and 10 rebounds a game. Waukee has a 21-2 record and needs one win to reach the state tournament March 6-10 at Wells Fargo Arena.

Biliew can hit the outside shot or electrify the crowd with an acrobatic dunk.

But one statistic you can’t place on a sheet or a TV screen is the size of his heart.

“He’s a great person, a great teammate,” Waukee coach Kevin Kanaskie said after Friday’s 60-43 win over Urbandale in a Class 4A substate semifinal. “He’s a coach’s dream.”

Omaha Biliew (right) shares a laugh with a teammate in warmups at Waukee Friday. (Photo by John Naughton.)

Biliew stands 6-8 and has great agility and quickness for his size. His dedication to the game is outstanding, but if you ask one of his teachers, they’ll tell you he’s a leader in the classroom as well as on the court.

Iowa has had six boys’ McDonald’s All Americans: Al Lorenzen of Cedar Rapids Kennedy in 1984, Raef LaFrentz of MFL/Mar-Mac of Monona in 1994, Nick Collison of Iowa Falls in 1999, Harrison Barnes of Ames in 2010, Marcus Paige of Linn-Mar of Marion in 2012 and now Biliew, who will travel to Houston to play in the ESPN-televised game March 28.

“It just gives you a sense of honor,” Biliew said. “I get a chance to represent the state.”

I may be the only sportswriter who covered all six stars over that 39-year span. All five of the previous McDonald’s crew were Mr. Iowa Basketball; all but Lorenzen made it to the NBA.

But how good is he, compared to players like LaFrentz and Barnes?

Omaha Biliew, a Waukee senior, takes aim from the free-throw line. (Photo by John Naughton.)