After relying on family and faith coupled with years of hard work and dedication on and off the football field, Malakai Lee KSK’26 is using his success to give generously and help the next wave of Warriors.

The 6-foot, 7-inch, 359-pound offensive lineman is playing his freshman season at the University of Michigan. The Wolverines are battling for the Big Ten Conference championship and a shot at postseason play a year after Lee helped lead Kamehameha Kapālama to the 2025 First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association championship game that Campbell won in overtime, 26-23.

In advance of the 2026 prep football season, Lee donated $2,000 to the Nā Koa football program to help student-athletes and motivate others to give.

“Over the four years that I played football for Kamehameha, there was no certainty of wins or losses, but I was certain that a brotherhood developed,” Lee says. “I feel that it is important for that brotherhood to continue, which is exactly why I wanted to give back to the program in support of my brothers.”

Lee’s mother, Amber Ma‘afala-Lee, shares that the ‘ohana was motivated by the legacy of Ke Ali‘i Bernice Pauahi Pākī Bishop in making this initial gift and plans on doing more to help others soon.

“We’re planning to do more, possibly creating a scholarship for student-athletes to offset the cost of travel and other expenses,” Ma‘afala-Lee says. “We’re trying to find ways for Malakai to give back. He saw how we struggled and he wants to help other student-athletes be seen and overcome some of those hurdles. During his recruiting process, we got to share the story of Ke Ali‘i Pauahi and Kamehameha. It was so special for us to have our son get a Kamehameha education and pursue his dreams. The selflessness that Ke Ali‘i Pauahi had is incredible.”

Ma‘afala-Lee explains that Malakai’s younger brother, Deuce Ma‘afala-Lee, is currently a 9th grader at Kamehameha Kapālama and recently completed his football season with the JV team. The ‘ohana remains invested in the Warrior football program, while also tracking Malakai Lee’s progress at the upper echelon of college football.

“It is a process,” Ma‘afala-Lee explains when thinking back on the arduous recruiting process that Malakai endured. “One of the things that we discussed is that our foundation is our faith. We didn’t know where the decision would take us, but faith and sacrifice carried us. We live in Hawai‘i and it’s expensive; Malakai is the eldest of six kids.”

While he was training, Lee’s father, Keola Lee, worked two jobs and the other keiki would spend time at the park while Malakai was working out twice a day. Malakai relocated to Los Angeles in 8th grade to play and compete against some of the nation’s best. He moved back home after being accepted to attend Kamehameha Kapālama, and embraced a kuleana to help make Kamehameha great again, playing at the time for his uncle, former head coach Abu Ma‘afala KSK’02.

“Malakai had to sacrifice a lot of his social life; we’re strict parents and we did everything possible to protect him from the negative so he could realize the future ahead of him,” Ma‘afala-Lee says.

Keola Lee is fond of one of the mantras displayed at the University of Michigan: “Those who stay will be champions.”

“If you put the work, time and sacrifice in, you’ll see the results,” Keola Lee says. “He perseveres through adversity and rolls with the punches. I’m so proud of him and the journey we went through, what a ride!

“We took him to a camp in Los Angeles for offensive linemen, and coaches at the camp started talking about him differently, in a good way! Lane Johnson, a former offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, was there and we realized that Malakai’s body type as a young teen was similar to someone in the NFL. We got a lot of good advice and met so many great kids who have gone on to top colleges as well. For our son, I feel blessed that he’s at Michigan.”

The Lee ‘ohana is grateful for the mentorship and leadership provided by Kamehameha Kapālama Director of Football Operations and Head Football Coach Kaeo Drummondo KSK’03.

“There are a handful of people who are so important in Malakai’s journey and Kaeo is one of them,” Ma‘afala-Lee says. “His family is on the Big Island and he’s here coaching our kids, even during the Thanksgiving break, being selfless to coach our boys, and that is just one reason why Malakai wants to give back. Along this journey, we’ve met so many coaches and contacts, and we always promote the boys on the hill! We want Kamehameha to be the first stop off the plane for the recruiters so we try to help out as best we can.”

Ma‘afala-Lee credits her family faith developed through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for helping Malakai develop a commitment to service and realize that “you give what you can.” She says that while the journey isn’t for everyone, Michigan “checked all the boxes for Malakai,” and that “Ann Arbor is an amazing place and the people are great; they love Michigan football and the players, so we know that he’s in great hands.”

With the glitz and glamor surrounding college football, Ma‘afala-Lee is confident that Malakai won’t be known for how much money he has in the bank, but rather for how he takes care of others and makes them feel, noting that Malakai has learned about media training and money management in developing key life skills.

“Now that we’re able to pay it forward, that is very important for Malakai and our family,” Ma‘afala-Lee says. “I can’t tell you how many people have helped him at Kamehameha, and coaches like Brian Derby and Matta Faga who gave their time to train kids like Malakai. Now that he’s in a position to give back, that’s what he wants to do. I’m very proud of that.”

Keola Lee shares that while Malakai’s goal is to make it to the NFL one day, the ‘ohana remains grounded through realistic expectations.

“That’s always the goal: to get to the NFL,” Keola says. “As parents, we try to stay as close as possible to help steer him, but that’s not a guarantee. Anything can set any player back, whether it’s an injury or something else, so we want to make sure that he gets a great education, a plan A! That way he has a degree to use for the rest of his life.”

Keola adds: “Malakai being able to attend Kamehameha was such a blessing and the support he had on campus was through the roof, from his counselors to those in the athletic department to the dining hall staff, even the groundskeepers and security. Everyone was so generous and we’re so grateful for them wanting to help him. Now it’s his time to give back any way he can. This is just the beginning and hopefully when he has time during the offseason, we can work with the Pauahi Foundation to establish ways to give back because that’s important for us moving forward. This is just the beginning, and we hope others will be inspired to give back, too.”

Malakai Lee and his ‘ohana.

At his final Founder’s Day as a senior, Malakai Lee shared the moment with Kamehameha Kapālama Director of Football Operations and Head Football Coach Kaeo Drummondo KSK’03.

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