Who Kentucky MBB has offered in the 2027 recruiting class

Mark Pope and the Kentucky men’s basketball staff are still on the hunt for their first commitment from the 2026 recruiting class, but they’ve been laying groundwork for 2027 in the meantime.

Four of the best rising high school juniors in the entire country have already publicly announced scholarship offers from the Wildcats. All four rank among the top seven recruits in 2027, headlined by the top two in the class. The most recent offer went out to small forward Marcus Spears Jr. on Monday night.

Here is what you need to know about the Kentucky targets.

Kentucky MBB’s class of 2027 offers

C.J. Rosser (PF) 6-9, 185 | Southeastern Prep (Rocky Mount, NC)
5-star: No. 1 overall, No. 1 PF

• Mark Pope and assistant coach Mikhail McLean have been leading the charge with C.J. Rosser. Kentucky ramped up its interest during the first live period in May while watching Rosser play for Team United 16U on the Nike EYBL circuit. Rosser was named one of the top EYBL performers of the summer after averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 2.2 assists per outing. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup. Rosser recently transferred schools ahead of his junior year, where he’ll team up with a player we’ll talk about next. Other schools involved include Duke, Syracuse, Miami, Alabama, North Carolina, and more.

Offered by Kentucky on May 19, 2025

Obinna Ekezie Jr. (C) 6-11, 215 | Southeastern Prep (Lagos)
5-star: No. 2 overall, No. 1 C

• Future teammates with Rosser at Southeastern Prep (FL), Obinna Ekezie Jr. is being primarily recruited to Kentucky by Mark Pope, along with assistant coaches Jason Hart and Cody Fueger. The UK staff has been after the big man dating back to last fall. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ekezie moved to Louisville shortly after turning 13 years old, although he didn’t stay long before transferring to play prep school ball out of the state. Suiting up for Vegas Elite 16U on the EYBL circuit this summer, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per outing on 55.6 percent shooting. Other schools involved include Louisville, BYU, Ohio State, and more.

Offered by Kentucky on September 12, 2024

Baba Oladotun (SF) 6-8, 165 | James Hubert Blake (Silver Spring, MD)
5-star: No. 4 overall, No. 2 SF

• Baba Oladotun was the first 2027 prospect to announce a Kentucky offer, although a reclassification to 2026 is in serious talks and could fast-track his recruitment in the coming months. Mark Pope and assistant coach Jason Hart are serving as the lead recruiters here. Playing up a year on the EYBL circuit for Team Durant 17U, Oladotun averaged 13.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 47.5 percent shooting this summer. Other schools involved include UCLA, USC, Gonzaga, South Carolina, and more.

Offered by Kentucky on September 9, 2024

Marcus Spears Jr. (SF) 6-7, 170 | Dynamic Prep (Plano, TX)
4-star: No. 7 overall, No. 3 SF

• Kentucky’s most recent 2027 offer went to Marcus Spears Jr. on Monday night. He’s the son of Marcus Spears Sr., who spent nine years in the NFL and is now an ESPN analyst. Associate head coach Alvin Brooks III is serving as the main contact in this recruitment. Spears is cousins with another highly-ranked 2027 recruit, Ryan Hampton (No. 6 overall). Those two played together on the EYBL circuit this summer for Drive Nation 16U. Spears averaged 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest on 50.9 percent overall shooting. Other schools involved include Duke, Miami, Texas, Louisville, Maryland, SMU, and more.

Offered by Kentucky on July 28, 2025

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