Basketball Bronco

Warren De La Salle High School star Michael Sulaka

By Steve Stein

Michael Sulaka and Western Michigan University appear to be made for each other.

Sulaka, a 6-foot-9-inch, 215-pound senior forward on the defending Division 1 state champion Warren De La Salle High School boys basketball team (who is considered the top “big man” in the state and a serious candidate for the state’s Mr. Basketball Award), has signed to play for Western Michigan.

Dwayne Stephens is Western Michigan’s first-year men’s basketball coach. Previously, he spent 19 years as an assistant coach and associate head coach on Coach Tom Izzo’s staff at Michigan State University, earning a basketball reputation that’s perfect for Sulaka.

“Coach Stephens is known for developing big men,” said third year De La Salle boys basketball coach Jon Djokaj. “He’ll take Michael’s game to a new level. Michael is a young high school senior (he turned 17 in August). He has a high basketball skill level and his work habits, love for the game, and strength have increased tremendously since he joined our varsity team as a sophomore.

“He’s only scratched the surface when it comes to his basketball skills. He’ll be a better college basketball player than he is a high school basketball player.”

That prediction from Djokaj is eye-opening because Sulaka has been a force to be reckoned with at the high school level. He was named First Team All-State last season by the Associated Press and Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan after playing a huge role in De La Salle’s climb to its first state championship. He shot 60% from the field, 76% at the free throw line, and averaged 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks a game for the talented Pilots (20-7).

Sulaka was at his best during De La Salle’s stretch run to the state title, scoring 26 points vs. Macomb Dakota in the regional finals, 16 points in the quarterfinals vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting in addition to eight rebounds and four blocks vs. Grand Rapids Northview in the state semifinals.

He had nine points and eight rebounds in De La Salle’s 67-58 comeback win over defending state champion Grand Blanc in the state championship game at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

Sulaka showed last season that he could hold his own in the physical battles under the basket and be a dangerous outside shooter if needed, and he’s doing that again this season. He was averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three assists a game through the Pilots’ first three games, all victories.

Sulaka doesn’t take a day off, either on the basketball court or in the classroom. He’s a 4.005 grade-point average student who has aspirations of being an engineer. Western Michigan has an outstanding engineering program.

Sulaka said that was a big draw for him, especially Western Michigan’s state-of-the-art, $72.5 million, 343,000-square-foot College of Engineering & Applied Sciences building that is the Kalamazoo university’s largest academic building.

As for the basketball side of the Western Michigan recruiting pitch, “Their coaches made me feel at home and showed they really care about their players. They push you to do your best,” Sulaka said.

There’s no doubt the Western Michigan coaching staff cares about Sulaka. “After we were hired last spring, Michael became one of our top recruiting targets,” said Broncos assistant coach Jeff Rutter.

“Michael is exactly the type of student-athlete we want to build our program with,” Rutter said. “He’s an excellent basketball player and student who comes from a great family. When it comes to basketball, Michael plays hard, he’s versatile, skilled, and athletic, he has a feel for the game, and he’s a great teammate and leader.

“Michael impressed us during the recruiting process. He showed us that he’s a deep thinker, he sets the bar high for himself no matter what he does, and he always wants to make his coaches and parents proud of him. Those are great qualities.”

Djokaj has noticed similar personality traits that Sulaka has exhibited at De La Salle. “Michael is a diligent worker in the classroom and he stands out in our hallways, not just because he’s 6-9,” Djokaj said.

“He’s friends with everyone, he has a great personality, and he’s a leader in our building. He has a lot of pride in being a De La Salle Pilot.”

Sulaka said he’s glad college recruiting is over so he can focus on the De La Salle basketball season, and he’s thrilled that he’s achieved his longtime dream of being a Division I college basketball player.

His recruiting began when he was a sophomore at De La Salle, before he played a varsity game, when Saginaw Valley State University offered him a scholarship.

“It was annoying, getting phone calls from college coaches at 11 o’clock at night,” he said. “That was happening weekly. I’m glad that won’t happen anymore.”

Sulaka said he also seriously considered scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan University, the University of Toledo, and Grand Valley State University.

Michael’s parents are Larry and Ann Sulaka. The family lives in Macomb Township and includes Michael‘s older brother Matthew, 20.

From left: Michael Sulaka plans to study engineering at Western Michigan University. He’s pictured during a summer tour of the university’s 343,000-square-foot College of Engineering & Applied Sciences building. Western Michigan University Athletics created this graphic to welcome Michael Sulaka to Kalamazoo.