Indiana Basketball Makes Top 3 For 5-Star 2027 Big Man Darius Wabbington

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On Thursday, five-star big man Darius Wabbington cut his list to three teams: Indiana, Illinois and Arizona (according to Sam Kayser of League Ready.) He has taken an official visit to all three schools within the past month, with Indiana being his first destination, followed by Illinois and then Arizona.
NEWS: 2027 5⭐️ Darius Wabbington is considering three programs, he tells @LeagueRDY:
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) October 1, 2026
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
Wabbington, a 6-foot-11, 255-pound center out of Phoenix, is rated as the No. 13 player in the 2027 class, and the No. 2 center, per 247 Sports’ composite rankings.
What landing 2027 five-star Darius Wabbington would mean for Indiana basketball

Wabbington, an ultra-skilled center with three-level scoring abilities and a unique playmaking knack at his size, is an absolute stud. Bringing him to Bloomington would be a massive win because he’ll make the Hoosiers that much better on the floor. But that’s a given.
The rest of it – the domino effect of landing a five-star – would also be a game-changer. Wabbington, if he pledged to Indiana, would be the first five-star recruit of the Darian DeVries era. And he’d be the first top-15 prospect to commit to the Hoosiers since Mackenzie Mgbako in 2023.
2027 5⭐️ Darius Wabbington, one of the top ranked big men in his class, on an official visit to Indiana and Darian DeVries.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) September 11, 2026
The 6-foot-11 big man still has visits to Illinois, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas scheduled for later this fall.
#9 overall in the @SCNext 100. https://t.co/RmD1SMxgUS pic.twitter.com/SLwcpwipDa
With the 2027 class already packing a solid punch (Chase Branham, the No. 30 player in the class, is a commit), adding Wabbington to the mix would give the Hoosiers a crew stockpiled with starpower.
Indiana may not need many more 2027 additions – there are only two fifth-year players on the 2026-27 roster – but Wabbington’s presence certainly will make Bloomington an even more enticing destination if the Hoosiers elect to pursue more 2027 prospects.
The potential 2027-28 Indiana basketball frontcourt at a glance

The Big Ten often runs through the program boasting the top frontcourt (Michigan last year was a testament to that). If Wabbingon dons the cream-and-crimson threads and DeVries can keep Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu around for another season, it may be Bloomington that features the league’s premier big man unit.
The only problem DeVries would have: deciding which duo to start. Wabbington, though, would be hard to keep off the floor. He is just unbelievably dynamic.
Five-star forward Darius Wabbington is down to three schools with a decision looming, @KayserHoops reports.
— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) October 1, 2026
The five-star prospect has taken visits to all three programs 👀 https://t.co/BZSyQP8hVp pic.twitter.com/0tg0X32SB8
His versatile game would allow Indiana to do a variety of things. Spacing would be spectacular and the Hoosiers would have another playmaker on the floor at all times, not to mention another go-to post presence.
And with Wabbington’s skill set, DeVries couldn’t go wrong. He could pair Wabbington with Sherrell or Yigitoglu, and the offense would run without a hitch either way (although Sherrell may be the preferable running mate).

Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Indiana basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features, and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024.
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