Miami Basketball In Pursuit of Blue-Chip Center Marcis Ponder
In this story:
The 2026 class is starting to take shape for Jai Lucas and the Miami Hurricanes basketball, as a top target has listed the Canes in his top seven schools.
Top 75 recruit Marcis Ponder is down to seven schools according to On3's Joe Tipton: Miami, Indiana, Florida State, Providence, Illinois, Cincinnati, and Texas.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Marcis Ponder, a 7-foot center in the 2026 class, is down to seven schools, he tells @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 16, 2025
The Top-75 overall recruit discusses his finalists: https://t.co/cxPikxaisN pic.twitter.com/77sa6ZW4sU
According to 247Sports, the Springfield, VA native is the No. 9 center in the nation and the No. 3 player in the state.
Quick Analysis
Ponder is a physical presence nearing 330 lbs. He isn't afraid of contact and often seeks it out. He can quickly recover and get key defensive stops with the early potential of being a pro shot blocker. He also cleans in the glass well and finishes inside 5 feet at an efficient rate. He is an inside player, so an outside shot has not developed, but he gets to the line and can knock a few down if needed.
This is not the only top-75 player that the Hurricanes are after. Five-star forwards Jaxon Richardson and Caleb Gaskins are also on the Hurricanes' radar and have a strong pull towards the future of the Canes' class.
On a limited schedule, Lucas was able to bring in a top 20 class during his "first" offseason with the Canes. Now with some more time, he will be able to show his monster recruiting abilities that have been raved about since his introduction presser as the Hurricanes' head coach.
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes-related: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.