Nebraska football stuns Sioux City East basketball star Manasse Kasongo-Malu with scholarship offer

It’s the first one for 2025 Sioux City East defensive end Manasse Kasongo-Malu. Based on the calls he was already getting on Friday from Kansas State, Iowa State and Cincinnati, it’s not likely to be last.

“I’m not gonna lie, I had no idea it was coming,” Kasongo-Malu said of his surprise offer Thursday. The Huskers already have one Sioux City East alum — walk-on quarterback Luke Longval — and appear ready to move on landing Kasongo-Malu, whose primary love, even this week, has been basketball.

Pinned to the top of Kasongo-Malu’s X profile are junior year highlights at East, a 4A power in Iowa high school basketball that finished 21-3 last season.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder averaged 11 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 63% from the floor. Schools like Southern Utah are involved there, as was UNO, which invited him down to a camp last year.

Kasongo-Malu didn’t know his football stats at East. He moved from receiver/tight end to defensive end during his junior season, and liked the switch.

“It’s a lot less complicated,” Kasongo-Malu said. This winter, Kasongo-Malu said, special teams coordinator Ed Foley came through East. It was Kasongo’s first contact with Nebraska.

Thursday, he visited Husker practice.

“All the guys lift — they’re all three times bigger than me,” Kasongo-Malu said. “I couldn’t really tell who the starters were, because they all got the same amount of reps.”

Nebraska coaches, Kasongo-Malu said, noted his size. Kasongo-Malu has a 7-foot-3 wingspan and 11-inch hands. He runs a 4.68-second 40-yard dash. In the first minute of his Hudl basketball highlights, he has four dunks, including a breakaway, one-handed dunk at Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson High School.

Kasongo-Malu not sure how many schools will call and offer. He’s not sure how it might help his basketball recruitment, either; he’s still interested in that sport, too.

For now he’s happy — and learning more about Nebraska.

“I really didn’t think this would happen,” he said.