2023 5-star Omaha Biliew returns ‘home’ for Nebraska basketball visit

It isn’t just Omaha Biliew‘s first name that makes him seem like a natural fit at Nebraska.

When the 2023 five-star forward out of Waukee, Iowa, came to Lincoln on an unofficial visit on Sunday, he returned to his home state. Biliew was born in Omaha, where he lived until he was five years old.

But the visit was much more than just a trip back to see some family and friends.

The No. 6 overall player in the ’23 class said he’d had a legitimate interest in Fred Hoiberg’s program for a while now, and Sunday took that to a new level.

“The thing I love about Nebraska is their facilities and everything, but also their culture,” Biliew said. “Right now, Nebraska’s on the path of being a big contender in the Big Ten. They’re on their way.

“I know Nebraska fans show a lot of love. That’s what I love about Nebraska.”

Nebraska was the first visit for the 6-foot-8 Biliew since the NCAA recruiting period finally opened back up this month.

He’ll also take unofficials to Iowa (Monday), Kansas (June 12), and Iowa State (June 16), but Biliew said getting to Lincoln was a priority for him.

“That’s something that we had talked about is Fred Hoiberg and that being a place we wanted to go,” Biliew said. “That’s my home state, so going back to Nebraska, that was my first time in a while. It was great. I’ve got a lot of family out there.”

Along with Nebraska, Biliew said Gonzaga, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa State, Iowa, and Ohio State had been recruiting him the hardest recently.

While the Huskers might not have the same pedigree as the other schools on that list, Hoiberg’s NBA system and coaching track record immediately caught Biliew’s attention.

“That’s the first thing that I noticed,” Biliew said. “His record holds a lot of weight, and it shows that he’s been there at the highest level. He knows all about that, and he’s a person you can go to and help get me where I want to be.

“Then his offense, that’s an NBA offense and would fit my game a lot. I’m really versatile. I’m not just a one-dimensional player. That offense would just fit me perfectly.”

Biliew enjoyed his time in Lincoln on Sunday so much that he was already looking to schedule a return trip for an official visit later this fall. Ideally he would make it back for a home Husker football game weekend, possibly in October.

“We’ve already talked about it,” Biliew said. “That’s the first thing that I wanted to do. I want to be around in October when Nebraska has a football game. That’s one thing I want to experience, is being around Memorial Stadium for a game.”

Looking further ahead, Biliew still has plenty of time before his eventual college decision. He already hold numerous high-major offers, and those options should only continue to multiply going forward.

When it comes to deciding on his future school, Biliew said fit would be the most important factor of all.

“A place where I’m comfortable, a place that’s going to support you in everything you do, and the culture, obviously,” Biliew said. “A place that’s great to be in and can help take me to the next level.”