Arizona makes final three for 5-star center Darius Wabbington after Tucson visit

The Red-Blue Showcase was not only an opportunity for fans to see this new look Arizona Wildcats roster in action for the first time, but it also served as an extremely valuable recruiting tool for Tommy Lloyd and his staff.

And already those dividends are paying off.

Darius Wabbington, a 5-star center who was one of three 2027 recruits on campus over the weekend, has listed Arizona in his top three alongside Illinois and Indiana, according to Sam Kayser of League Ready.

Wabbington was on campus for the Red-Blue Showcase alongside 5-star guard Adan Diggs and 4-star forward Kamsi Awaka, and now the Wildcats are one of the favorites for the 6'11 big man's services in 2027-28.

NEWS: 2027 5⭐️ Darius Wabbington is considering three programs, he tells @LeagueRDY:

Illinois
Indiana
Arizona

The 6-foot-11 big man has taken official visits to all three schools. #9 overall prospect in the @SCNext 100. https://t.co/RmD1SMxOKq pic.twitter.com/aHnq9E1SgD
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) October 1, 2026

Who is Darius Wabbington?

Wabbington is the consensus No. 2 center in the 2027 class, coming in at No. 9 overall at ESPN, No. 12 at 247Sports, and No. 17 at Rivals. A star at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Wabbington took an official visit to Indiana on Sep. 3 and Illinois on Sep. 19, before his trip to Tucson last weekend.

He had a visit scheduled to Washington later this month, but is now focused on those top three as he nears a decision.

A 6'11 big man with a 7'4 wingspan, Wabbington has elite touch around the basket, soft hands, and a developing outside shot that makes him the most skilled big man in the class. He also shows great ball-handling and facilitation skills, which is a huge bonus in coach Lloyd's system, which relies heavily on big men who can handle the ball and serve as an offensive hub.

While Wabbington is a solid rebounder, the defense is an area that still lacks at this point - with limited enough mobility that he's likely stuck in drop coverage, and a career 0.8 blocks per game that doesn't signal much help as a rim protector.

Still, he's clearly a great fit in Arizona's offense, and Lloyd has done a great job securing local talent - giving them a real shot at bringing one of the best big men in the country to Tucson in 2027-28.

Other 2027 targets

Millennium Tigers guard Adan Diggs (1) looks to shoot over O'Connor Eagles guard Melvin Stubbs (4) at Millennium in Goodyear, on Dec. 2, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Adan Diggs and Kamsi Awaka joined Wabbington on Saturday at the Red-Blue Showcase, and both are strong candidates to commit to Arizona this Fall.

Diggs is a consensus 5-star prospect ranked No. 6 in the class at 247Sports and Rivals. He stars at Millennium High School, where he was teammates with current freshman Cameron Holmes. Diggs has a 6'7 wingspan and averaged 18.3 points with Vegas Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer.

The star guard has visits lined up at Arkansas and Kentucky, but Arizona's recent pitch could convince the local product to stay put - where he'd form an incredible 1-2 punch with Wabbington should they both commit.

Awaka is a 4-star big man who is clearly a good fit at Arizona - just ask his older brother, Tobe, who starred in Tucson the past two seasons as a tough, physical rebounding big off the bench.

Kamsi is similar to his brother in a lot of ways, standing 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan, a high motor, and great upper body strength and timing as a rim protector.

Awaka has already visited UConn, Florida, Michigan, and Michigan State - but the family connection could really help Lloyd and the Arizona staff secure an outstanding big man for 2027-28.

Next up for Arizona is an exhibition game on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at home against San Francisco. The game is set to tip at 6:00 PM PT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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