Louisville basketball loses to Michigan State, C.L. Brown’s One Take
Sixth-seeded Louisville fell short in the NCAA Tournament’s second round against a three-seeded Michigan State team that was just better.
- Obinna Ekezie Jr., a consensus top-10 player in the Class of 2027, has committed to Louisville basketball and plans to join the collegiate ranks a year ahead of schedule.
- The 7-foot Nigerian center is the son of an NBA veteran and has ties to the 502, having attended St. Raphael School as an eighth grader.
- As a junior at Southeastern Preparatory Academy in Florida this past season, Ekezie averaged 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
A coveted 7-foot center will enroll in college a year early to join Louisville basketball’s loaded 2026-27 roster.
Obinna Ekezie Jr., a consensus top-10 talent in the Class of 2027, announced his commitment to Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals on Sunday and will reclassify to the 2026 cycle so he can suit up for the team this season with a post to Instagram, in collaboration with On3’s Joe Tipton.
Arkansas, BYU, Kentucky and Maryland were the other four finalists for his pledge.
Ekezie, the son of NBA veteran Obinna Ekezie Sr., spent his junior season at Southeastern Preparatory Academy in Maitland, Florida. He’s no stranger to the 502, having attended St. Raphael School as an eighth-grader.
According to MaxPreps, Ekezie averaged 12.4 points on 60% shooting (29%, 12 for 42, from 3-point range) with 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks across 17.1 minutes per game in 2025-26.
Ekezie, who is of Nigerian descent, earned an invite to a Basketball Without Borders camp coinciding with the NBA All-Star Game in February. His performance there earned him the camp’s Defensive Most Valuable Player honor.
Ekezie is the seventh new addition to UofL’s 2026-27 roster. He joins former Kansas forward Flory Bidunga, former USC forward Gabe Dynes, former Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras, former Arkansas wing Karter Knox, former Dayton guard De’Shayne Montgomery and former Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad.
Kelsey also has two returners running it back for Year 3 of his tenure — former NBA G League guard London Johnson and rising junior guard Adrian Wooley.
Here’s a look at where Ekezie stands in the national recruiting rankings — and some highlights:
Note: These rankings reflect where Ekezie stood in the Class of 2027 before announcing his intent to reclassify.
- 247Sports: five stars (No. 6 overall, No. 2 position, No. 4 state)
- ESPN: five stars (No. 4 overall, No. 1 position, No. 1 state)
- Rivals: four stars (No. 4 overall, No. 1 position, No. 2 state)
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
