UCLA Men's Basketball Offers Class of 2025 Small Forward Chris Nwuli
A dynamic freshman from the top high school program in Nevada has received an offer from coach Mick Cronin and the Bruins.
Class of 2025 small forward Chris Nwuli earned an offer from UCLA men’s basketball on Sunday, the young Bishop Gorman (NV) prospect announced on Twitter. The blue and gold joined Louisville – who offered Nwuli on Saturday – as the second team to officially enter the high-flying wing’s recruitment.
A few hours after the Bruins entered the fold, Washington State offered Nwuli as well.
Over Father’s Day weekend, Nwuli has been playing at the Section 7 Team Camp in Glendale, Arizona. The versatile forward has made an impact both on the scoreboard and the boards – in his first game on Saturday, Nwuli finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, while on Sunday, he accumulated 10 in both categories for a double-double.
Despite 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and On3 not having an individual bio page for Nwuli yet, he is pegged as a two-star on Verbal Commits. However, in PrepHoops' rankings for the class of 2025, the 6-foot-7 prospect rises well above the rest of the crop in his state.
Nwuli is ranked as the No. 1 overall player in Nevada in his class, according to PrepHoops. The high ranking makes it likely that whenever the fast-rising freshman does get added to 247Sports and others' databases, he could be a four-or five-star prospect from the get-go.
Nwuli's defensive style could work to the Bruins’ advantage, as Cronin has historically preached high-intensity defense to his versatile wings. Cronin has experience recruiting from Bishop Gorman as well, which could also play into Nwuli’s recruitment.
Rising redshirt freshman guard Will McClendon committed to UCLA out of Bishop Gorman back in January 2020 – just nine months into Cronin's tenure in Westwood. The Bruins fought off Arizona, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, USC and others to secure McClendon’s pledge.
There are still a few years until Nwuli makes a decision on where he will attend college, but with UCLA offering early, the Bruins could be building up some early goodwill for when Nwuli trims his list to a group of semifinalists somewhere down the road.
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