Mark Pope needs to make this five-star seven-footer in the 2027 class a priority

With the 2026 class about done aside from seeing if Coach Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are able to land the #1 player Tyran Stokes, this staff is starting to look at some of the elite talent in the 2027 class. If Coach Pope isn’t able to land Stokes in this class, he will still have the narrative around his name that “Mark Pope can’t land elite high school talent.” This is why it is important that the Wildcats either land Stokes or get themselves an elite five-star in the 2027 class.

The player the Wildcats are looking at right now in the 2027 class is the best center in the class. Obinna Ekezie Jr. is a seven-foot center who is ranked as the #2 player in the 247Sports composite rankings and the #1 overall center. Today, Coach Pope and some of his staff were in to see Ekezie Jr., and this is not the first time. Pope was also in to see Ekezie Jr. in September, and he came on a visit to Lexington in October.

I appreciate Coach Pope, Coach Fueger, and Coach McLean of Kentucky for coming by for an in-home visit. Blessed for the opportunity and great conversation 🙏 pic.twitter.com/wBT4pGi85W
— Obi (@ObinnaEkezieJr) April 1, 2026

Ekezie Jr. has a 7’3 " wingspan and a 9’4 standing reach, which helps him swat shots away on defense and pull-down rebounds. Watching the film on Ekezie Jr., I was really impressed with his all-around game. A lot of folks hear seven-footer and think slow and unathletic, but he is a freak athlete. He has a lot of finesse around the rim, which will help him be able to score at the next level.

Coach Pope wants his big men to be able to handle the basketball and pass. There is a ton of film on Ekezie Jr. where he puts these skills on display. He looks like a young Amari Williams in the way he plays as a ball handler and passer. If he can continue to develop as a passer and ball handler, he will be a star in Pope’s system. This is why Pope has to make him the top priority in this class. The Wildcats were missing a seven-footer like Williams last year and Ekezie Jr. can be that guy.

Obinna Ekezie🇳🇬 proved why he is the top big man of his generation at BWB Global, using impressive physical tools to protect the rim and bully opponents in the paint and on the glass.

The defensive MVP flashed perimeter skill and hub potential, making plays from the high post. pic.twitter.com/84ADGBF6vK
— Diaspora Drop (@DiasporaDrop) February 25, 2026

Ekezie’s father, Obinna Ekezie, played his college hoops at Maryland and was taken in the 1999 NBA Draft. It sounds like Buzz Williams and Maryland could be a player in this recruitment, so Pope will have to pull Ekezie Jr. away from his father's alma mater.

Coach Pope has to prove that he can recruit elite players, and Ekeize Jr. is a sure-fire lottery pick who can run the Kentucky offense to perfection. Pope and his staff need to make the best center in the 2027 class a top priority over the next few months until this kid picks Kentucky.