7-Footer Obinna Ekezie Jr. Emerging as an Early Name to Watch for Kentucky in 2027
Kentucky is still about 10 months away from being able to contact 2027 recruits directly, but Mark Pope and his staff are keeping an eye on some potential targets. One of the names they’re eying is Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) center Obinna Ekezie Jr.
The 7-foot center moved from Nigeria to Kentucky in 2022 to play for St. Raphael in Louisville, Kentucky. That was where he got his first taste of Big Blue Nation.
“If you’re in Kentucky, everybody knows about Kentucky basketball,” Ekezie told KSR+. “It’s one of the greatest college basketball programs in the country.”
Just a couple of years later, Ekezie has landed on the radar of Kentucky’s new head coach. Pope saw Ekezie play at the 3SSB Circuit All-American Camp in Atlanta in July and
Mark Pope talked to Ekezie’s dad at 3SSB Circuit All-American Camp. He had positive things to say.
“He told my dad he likes my game, I have very high potential, and they’ll be watching,” Ekezie said.
‘Kentucky is a Great Program’
Obinna Ekezie Jr. has a good history with the Kentucky basketball program. For starters, his dad, Obinna Ekezie Sr. played college basketball at Maryland during the same time Mark Pope was playing at Kentucky.
“He and Coach Pope have a relationship because they played against each other and know each other a little bit,” Ekezie said. “It was a big change going from Coach Cal [John Calipari] to Coach Pope.”
Ekezie said it was “crazy” to see Calipari go to Arkansas. However, he’s still impressed with Kentucky as an overall institution.
“Kentucky is a great program,” Ekezie said. “Getting interest from any program that gives you the opportunity to play in college is a really great thing. Kentucky is a really great basketball program.”
Still, only time will tell how Pope fares in Lexington. Ekezie is excited to see it play out.
“There was a lot of division between the different people. Some people were saying it’s going to be a great change and others were saying it’s going to be a mistake,” Ekezie said. “You can’t really tell until the season starts and we actually see the record and how good Coach Pope’s coaching is compared with Coach Cal’s.”
Getting the Opportunity to Play in Front of College and NBA Scouts
The 3SSB Circuit All-American Camp was a great opportunity for Obinna Ekezie to play, not just in front of college scouts, but also NBA scouts. There were a lot of positive reviews.
“I played really well on the defensive end,” Ezekie said. “A lot of high-major coaches were saying good things about me, my rim protection, and my potential on the offensive end. It was a really great experience and I got to play against really good recruits.”
Ekezie has already received offers from the likes of Cal, Houston, Stanford, and Arizona State. Schools like Alabama, Kansas, and Louisville are showing interest.
“It’s a great experience and I’ve got to keep working,” Ekezie said. “None of this really matters until you prove yourself to people and be the best you can be out there. It’s a great experience to be recruited by all these colleges.”
Ekezie’s only visit so far was to Stanford for a game under the previous staff. He’s looking to visit Houston and potentially Stanford later in the year.
“[I’m looking for] a school that cares about you and a school that has a controllable fan base,” Ekezie said. “Just a place where you’re loved and people want you there. If you’re not really wanted in a program, they’re not going to get the best out of you. If they don’t want you, the coaches aren’t going to push you. I just want to go to a place where I’m wanted and can play to my strengths.”
Obinna Ekezie’s Game
2027 center Obinna Ekezie of Prolific Prep (CA) is considered one of the best-shot blockers in the 2027 class. That’s what he considers to be his greatest strength.
“I also have a developed skill set for my age on the offensive end,” Ekezie said. “For being 7-foot, I’m really good athletically in the low post and dunker spot. I can catch the ball in the low post, face up, and make some moves. I have a left and right-hand hook shot.”
Ekezei is looking to expand his range to the three-point line. He already can operate in the post, face-up, and dunker spot. However, most of all, he wants to have an elite motor.
“It’s hard to guard a 7-footer with an elite motor who is everywhere on both the defensive and offensive end,” he said. “I’m trying to expand my IQ, decision-making, and pick-and-roll on the offensive end. Once I get all of that down, then I can start talking about knocking down threes. You still have to be a really good big man inside. It’s an inside-out game. You can’t be one of each.”
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