Coach Mark Pope and his staff are working double time right now. They’ve been putting the final touches on this upcoming season’s Kentucky Basketball roster, while also laying the groundwork for next year and beyond.
On Tuesday, Eric Bossi of 247 Sports reported that Pope will be hosting 5‑star recruit Lewis Uvwo for an official visit in Lexington the weekend of September 11th. The uber-talented big man is ranked seventh overall and first among centers in the class of 2027 by 247 Sports.
Uvwo, from
Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale (FL), has been labeled an elite defensive prospect equipped with all the tools to become a special player. Uvwo already has an impressive build at 6’10”, 225 pounds. But it’s his 7’6” wingspan that has so many scouts touting his tremendous upside. Uvwo is widely considered to be the best shot-blocker in all of high school basketball by a large margin.
We’ve all heard the old adage that you can’t teach shot-blocking, and seemingly Uvwo will need no instruction on how to do so.
Kentucky isn’t the only school that Uvwo is scheduled to visit this fall. Baylor, California, and Providence will all have their chance to court the big man between now and the end of September.
We all know that the new landscape of the college athletics transfer portal creates a wait‑and‑see environment for many talented high school prospects, but it’s always encouraging to see Pope and UK hosting a big-time talent.
It’s very possible that Malachi Moreno will be playing his final year of college hoops, which could open the door for a player like Uvwo to step in and play meaningful minutes.
A long way to go here, but with this new development, it may be worthwhile to follow Lewis Uvwo and his recruitment a little closer. I think everyone in the BBN would be thrilled to see a 5-star shot-blocker in Lexington next season.
For now, enjoy some of his highlights presented by Courtside Films:
