Utah basketball reaching out to 2027, 2028 prospects
Jun 16, 2026, 11:17 AM | Updated: Jun 17, 2026, 9:51 am
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 14: Keanu Dawes #8 of the Utah Utes handles the ball during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena on January 14, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah basketball is already building out its future recruiting board under Alex Jensen, with the Runnin’ Utes reaching out to a wide group of 2027 and 2028 prospects.
The early list gives a good look at the type of players Utah is evaluating: lead guards, bigger perimeter scorers, versatile wings, local prospects and frontcourt players with long-term upside.
Utah basketball communicating with 2028 prospects
Here are the names to know as Utah continues working ahead in the ’28 class.
Troy Kaufusi, 2028 guard — Kaufusi is one of the more important local names on the board, as he’s already added an offer from the Runnin’ Utes. The 2028 point guard out of Orem is already one of the top in-state prospects in his class and plays with Utah Prospects on the grassroots circuit. Utah cannot afford to be passive with the best players in its own footprint, and Kaufusi is exactly the type of local guard the staff needs to know early and recruit consistently.
After a great conversation with coach Jensen, I am blessed to say I have received an offer from The University of Utah! pic.twitter.com/FIBgbvqlEi
— Troy Kaufusi (@TroyKaufusi) June 16, 2026
Parker McDaniel, 2028 guard — McDaniel has also picked up a Utah offer. He is a 2028 scoring guard from Oklahoma who fits the shot-making profile. He is viewed as a guard who can score from multiple levels, which makes him a strong early evaluation for Utah. The Utes need guards who can create offense, stretch defenses and play with confidence in a structured system.
Adriel Cantave, 2028 guard — Cantave is a 2028 guard out of St. George’s School in New England and fits the profile of a long-term backcourt target. He brings creation ability, guard skill and developmental upside. For Utah, he represents the type of early-cycle prospect worth getting involved with before his recruitment becomes more crowded.
Kingsley Rogers, 2028 guard — Rogers is a 2028 guard/wing at Williston Northampton and brings size to the perimeter. He has already generated attention as a multi-level scoring threat, and his combination of positional size and offensive skill makes him one of the more intriguing names on Utah’s early board.
Josh Lindsay, 2028 guard — Lindsay, a highly regarded 2028 guard out of St. Xavier in Kentucky, is one of the more prominent national names Utah has reached out to. He is the kind of prospect who will likely have plenty of high-major attention, making early relationship-building important. His skill level and scoring ability make him a natural fit for a program trying to add more guard talent.
Jordan Mize, 2028 guard — Mize, a 2028 guard/wing at Sierra Canyon, is another national-level name on the board. His size, scoring polish and competition background make him a prospect programs will monitor closely over the next two years. For Utah, Mize fits the bigger-perimeter-player mold that can translate in the Big 12.
Salim Diaby, 2028 forward/center — Diaby, a 2028 forward/center at Tilton School in New Hampshire, gives Utah a frontcourt upside piece. He brings size, length and long-term development potential. For a staff that will need to keep adding athleticism and rim presence, Diaby is a name that makes sense early in the process.
📰 | Home / Away Designations for 2026-27 Campaign Released by @Big12Conference.
🔗 https://t.co/kuyIaa9N0h#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/CLVe2Lf2eI
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) June 11, 2026
Utah targets in the class of 2027
While the 2028 group gives Utah a chance to get in early with several high-upside prospects, the 2027 board is a little more immediate. Those recruitments are further along, and the names Utah has communicated with give a better sense of the type of players the staff may continue tracking more seriously over the next year.
Antonio Pemberton, 2027 point guard — Pemberton is the unquestioned top target for Utah in this class. He is a true lead-guard option and possesses a number of exciting qualities. He has command, control of pace, handling and the ability to organize an offense. That makes him a logical fit for a staff looking for guards who can process quickly, create advantages and play with structure.
Pierce Thompson, 2027 guard — A name ’27 Utah fans should be aware of is Thompson. He’s a guard out of Harvard-Westlake in Southern California. His competitive background stands out, and he fits the type of guard Utah will likely continue to prioritize: skilled, composed and capable of playing within a structured offensive system. He gives the Utes another West Coast name to track in the class.
RJ Moore, 2027 wing — Moore is one of the more intriguing 2027 names because of his size and perimeter skill. At roughly 6-foot-7, he brings real positional flexibility. He can be viewed as a big guard, a wing scorer or a matchup piece depending on roster construction. That kind of profile matters in the Big 12, where size and versatility on the perimeter are essential.
Crew Fotheringham, 2027 wing — Fotheringham adds another local angle to Utah’s board. The Lone Peak forward gives the Utes an in-state wing to monitor closely, and his size on the perimeter makes him especially relevant. Utah has to recruit nationally, but keeping strong relationships with local prospects remains a major part of the job.
Chris Brown, 2027 forward/center — Brown, a 2027 frontcourt prospect out of Dream City Christian in Arizona, brings another high-major body to the list. He has the type of size and interior profile Utah will need as it continues adjusting to Big 12 play. Even if Jensen’s system leans toward spacing and skill, the Utes still need physical frontcourt players who can rebound, defend and provide rim presence.
The Bottom Line
For Utah, this early board is not about picking favorites yet. It is about identifying fits. The Utes are casting a wide net across the 2027 and 2028 classes, but the traits are easy to spot: guards with feel, wings with size, local prospects with upside and bigs who can develop into Big 12 bodies.
The next step is determining which relationships grow from early contact into real recruitments.
