Maryland Featured in Final Five of Five-Star Center Obinna Ekezie Jr.
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Buzz Williams and Maryland men's basketball have received some promising news about one of their top recruiting targets.
7-foot, 215 lbs. big man Obinna Ekezie Jr., a consensus five-star prospect in the Class of 2027, has announced his final five college options: Kentucky, Louisville, Arkansas, Yale, and Maryland.
NEWS: 5⭐️ Obinna Ekezie Jr. is down to five schools, his agency THE·TEAM told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 27, 2026
The 7-foot center is the No. 2 overall player in the 2027 class and is a potential reclass candidate.https://t.co/RiJKtyRhGe pic.twitter.com/ucc9qmaCft
Ekezie is rated the No. 4 prospect nationally in his class and the No. 2 center by the 247 Sports Composite. He has received over 30 Division 1 offers, including six from other Big Ten teams.
Here's a look at what has so many programs intrigued:
While there is still one final hurdle for Williams to clear, he has the advantage of a familiar environment to offer.
Ekezie's father played his college ball for the Terps from 1995-1999. He had an overall 50.1 FG% and averaged career-high marks with 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists during his junior season.
Soon afterwards, he was selected 37th overall in the NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies. He spent time with five NBA teams between 1999-2005 and also played internationally.
Now, Obi Jr. is looking to follow a similar path - one that will lead towards the pros. And aside from the family connection, Maryland has plenty more to offer him.
He saw an Xfinity Center crowd of 16,000 strong firsthand during an unofficial visit February 1, when the Terps hosted Purdue. And while the result on the court was rather ugly, Coach Williams has worked hard to build a much better roster than his first one in College Park.
After the disappointing 12-21 campaign, Williams put together a group which features six transfers, a loaded freshman class led by five-star small forward Baba Oladotun, and several returning pieces. And there's room for Ekezie to join, if he chooses to.
As reported by 247's Jeff Ermann and others, Ekezie could be reclassifying to the Class of 2026. With Rakease Passmore unexpectedly entering the transfer portal right before it closed, the Terps still have an open spot left on their roster.
Additionally, center Pharrel Payne is expected back for 2026-27, but his medical hardship waiver hasn't been officially approved by the NCAA yet, so Ekezie would be great insurance for that worst-case scenario.
Whether it's as the final touches on this year's class or the centerpiece of 2027, Ekezie would be an enormous victory for the Terps. He has not yet announced a decision date, but Maryland On SI will continue to monitor his recruitment and report when he makes it official.
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Mike joined Maryland On SI with over four years of sportswriting experience. He started off his career in Syracuse on the Orange football beat, where he was featured on CBS Sports' Cover 3 Podcast and local ESPN sports talk radio. After that, he had a brief stint reporting on Major League Baseball before returning to college sports.
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