Duke Remains in Mix For Top 2027 Big Man

The Duke Blue Devils are in the mix for one of the top prospects in the 2027 recruiting class, and his pro player comparisons may come as a bit of a surprise.

Lewis Uvwo, a 5-star prospect in the 2027 recruiting class per 247Sports, has been gaining interest from the Duke Blue Devils. Uvwo currently plays for Prolific Prep and is highly touted as one of the best big men in his recruiting class. So far, Duke, along with UCLA, BYU, Baylor, Texas, Miami, Michigan, Providence, Illinois, Arkansas, Georgia, and Kentucky, has been most involved in his recruitment.

Uvwo’s Impressive Traits

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 6-foot-11 center has incredible measurable traits. Along with his tall, lanky frame, Uvwo has a 7-foot-7 wingspan, with a ridiculous 9-foot-3 standing reach. As part of his recent Nike EYBL play back in May, Uvwo averaged 10 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and an absurd 6.3 blocks per contest. The performance helped boost his stock tremendously and is part of the reason he is one of the best recruits in the amateur game right now.

A player of his caliber is quite a unique talent. While he doesn’t possess the all-around versatile game that some of his contemporaries may have, Uvwo’s athletic ability and extremely rare size have earned him some comparisons to energizing NBA bigs. ESPN’s Paul Biancardi recently compared him to Moussa Diabate.

Biancardi’s Comparison

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Diabaté was a five-star recruit out of IMG Academy who starred defensively, protecting the rim and cleaning the glass. Uvwo plays a similar style with even greater physical tools -- 6-11 with a 7-7 wingspan and a 9-3 standing reach -- which he used to average 5.3 blocks per game in the EYBL entering July. He rebounds, throws the outlet pass and sprints the floor, creating easy offense in transition," Biancardi said.

"Most of his scoring comes on putbacks and powerful dunks, though he continues to expand his back-to-the-basket game."

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Similar to Diabaté, Uvwo embraces doing the dirty work. Uvwo's added length gives him even more upside,” Biancardi added.

This projection is largely based on Uvwo’s upside and potential, rather than what he already brings. His game is still incredibly raw, but given his age, that is not at all a concern yet, as you can’t teach the physical tools that Uvwo already has. Duke has done an excellent job in the past with raw big men, and if they land the exciting Uvwo, he could end up in the perfect situation for his long-term development.

Add us as a preferred source on Google