BYU target Obinna Ekezie Jr. commits to ACC program
May 3, 2026, 2:46 PM | Updated: May 4, 2026, 11:05 am
PROVO – The pursuit of a center continues for BYU basketball as one of their top targets, Obinna Ekezie Jr., has committed to Louisville.
Ekezie, a five-star prospect who was in the class of 2027, has reclassified to 2026 and will play for the Cardinals this upcoming season.
NEWS: 5⭐️ Obinna Ekezie Jr. has committed to Louisville and will reclassify to 2026 to play for the Cardinals this upcoming season, he tells @Rivals.
The 7-foot center was the No. 2 overall player in the 2027 class and the No. 1-ranked center.https://t.co/xMXmPrx0uA pic.twitter.com/yippK8TtdM
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) May 3, 2026
Obinna Ekezie Jr. commits to Louisville
BYU hosted Ekezie on an official visit last weekend and was in his final five, which also included Arkansas, Maryland, and Kentucky.
Ekezie played at Southeastern Prep in Orlando, Florida. BYU extended an offer to him in the summer of 2025.
He averaged 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game this past season for Southeastern Prep.
Ekezie Jr. is the son of former NBA and Maryland Terrapins player Obinna Ekezie. The elder Ekezie played in the NBA from 1999 to 2002.
BYU basketball will continue the pursuit of finding a center for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
At the moment, BYU has 6-foot-9 Khadim Mboup, who played some of the five last season for the Cougars, but has acknowledged in the past that the four is where he has primarily played throughout his career.
They also picked up a commitment from 6-foot-11 TCU transfer Adam Stewart, who has played six minutes through two seasons with the Horned Frogs.
So, the search for a center will have to continue for Kevin Young’s program.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
