During Big East media day on Thursday, Villanova coach Kevin Willard remarked that he is not recruiting any high school kids in the 2027 cycle because of the new five-in-five eligibility rule going into effect. “We have six guys who can come back for a fifth year,” Willard said. “So I’d much rather have one of my players come back than bring in a high school kid.”
Villanova isn’t alone in that approach, but most of the top programs have remained active on the high school recruiting front. UConn, Duke, Kentucky, Purdue, Michigan State and Alabama are among the powerhouses that have already added top 100 recruits in the Class of 2027. Plus, the absence of teams like Villanova has opened the door for others to swoop in. Nebraska, Northwestern, Creighton and Butler have all landed the highest-ranked prospects in the history of their respective programs.
Below is a rundown of some of the biggest recent headlines from the recruiting trail.
UConn lands another five-star
Three weeks after receiving a commitment from five-star guard Navorro Bowman Jr., Dan Hurley and the Huskies added another five-star prospect on Sunday: 6-foot-6 forward Jordan Page (No. 12 in the 247Sports Composite).
A native of Raleigh, Page chose the Huskies over North Carolina, which was largely believed to be the frontrunner early on his recruitment. Momentum swung UConn’s way over the past month, especially following Page’s official visit in mid-September. The Huskies now have the top two committed prospects in the Class of 2027 and are in contention for a few other prominent names, including five-star forward Demarcus Henry, four-star center Kamsi Awaka and four-star wing Elijah Paez, all of whom have been to Storrs.
Page is a lefty wing known for his exceptional defense, athleticism and versatility. He shined on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this summer, averaging 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists for Garner Road. As a starter on the USA Basketball team that won gold at the FIBA U17 World Cup in July, he posted 9.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Later that month, Hoops HQ asked Page to share the most important factors that would weigh into his eventual college decision. “The coaching, winning, and then every day I’m there I want to get better,” he said. “No matter what happens, I want to get better.”
Auburn gets on the board
Last week, four-star prospect Jason Gardner Jr. (No. 64) committed to Auburn, choosing the Tigers over DePaul, Florida, Indiana and Stanford. Gardner, the son of former Arizona All-American Jason Gardner, visited Auburn on Sept. 19 and was sold on the program’s style of play and coaching staff, as well as the opportunity to compete in the SEC.
As the leader of Indiana Elite on this year’s Adidas 3SSB circuit, the 6-foot-1 floor general averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He started the AAU season on the Nike EYBL circuit with the Oakland Soldiers before moving to a team in his home state of Indiana.
A highly athletic, attacking floor general, Gardner excels at getting to the rim and playing in transition. “He’s lightning quick with the ball and a very strong finisher,” Oakland Soldiers assistant coach Cameron Quick told Hoops HQ this summer. “You want a point guard who plays with that speed because ideally you want to play in transition. He can do that.”
Auburn remains in the mix for several other top recruits. Five-star wing AJ Williams (No. 5), who reclassified from 2028 to 2027 in August, visited two weeks ago and named AU as one of his 10 finalists. The Tigers also hosted four-star forward Davis Cochran (No. 121) in early September.
Duke goes international
Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils continue to find success on the international scene. Over the past few years, they have landed Australian guard Tyrese Proctor (Class of 2022), South Sudanese center Khaman Maluach (Class of 2024) and Italian wing Dame Sarr (Class of 2025). New big man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who joined the program this summer, previously played for FC Barcelona in Spain.
On Thursday, Duke added another foreign star to its recruiting resume: Class of 2027 prospect Luke Paul. A native of Australia, the 6-foot-6 point guard is a projected lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. Paul announced his commitment to the Blue Devils in a sit-down with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “After my call with Coach Scheyer, it just felt like a place that was going to be home for me,” Paul said. “All the coaches were on the call, and it just felt like they had their best interest in me as a player and as a person as well.”
Before heading to Durham, Paul will play professionally for the Cairns Taipans as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, a development initiative for the top young prospects in Australia. At 17 years old, he is the youngest athlete ever to join the program.
The jumbo floor general represented Australia at the FIBA U17 World Cup in July and put on a show, helping his team win bronze with averages of 15.3 points, 7.1 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 55.6 percent from behind the arc. He was named to the tournament’s All-Star Five alongside his future teammate Boumtje Boumtje, who claimed MVP honors after leading USA to gold.
Paul is the second Class of 2027 recruit to commit to the Blue Devils, joining five-star forward Kager Knueppel (No. 17), the younger brother of Kon.
Michigan State keeps rolling
Four-star prospect Jaydn Jenkins (No. 60) committed to Michigan State on Wednesday, choosing the Spartans over NC State, Xavier, Ohio State and Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-10 center out of Archbishop Wood High School (Pa.) is MSU’s second commit in as many weeks, joining five-star guard Antonio Pemberton (No. 23).
Jenkins played for Team Final on this year’s Nike EYBL circuit, where he established himself as one of the nation’s top rim protectors (1.6 blocks per game), while also averaging 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. Given his athleticism, length (7-foot-4 wingspan) and mobility, the big man has tremendous two-way upside.
Tom Izzo and his staff hosted Jenkins for an official visit in early September, which helped seal the deal. Jenkins was there alongside Pemberton for “Grind Week,” an annual preseason event where many of the program’s distinguished alumni return to campus to mentor the present roster. Among the former players in attendance were Mateen Cleaves, Scott Skiles, Miles Bridges, Draymond Green, Zach Randolph and Steve Smith. Grind Week has become an incredibly strong recruiting tool for Izzo.
With Jenkins and Pemberton on board, Michigan State currently has the No. 6-ranked recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports. The program is still in the mix for Kamsi Awaka, who took an official visit to East Lansing in mid-September. The 6-foot-10 center also has heavy interest from Arizona — where his older brother, Tobe, played two seasons — and UConn, Florida and Michigan.
LSU hosts Class of 2028 star
Powerhouse high school Prolific Prep (Fla.) has a blossoming superstar on its hands in junior Bamba Touray (No. 3 in the Class of 2028, per the 247Sports Composite). The 7-foot center has seen his stock skyrocket of late and continues to draw more and more attention from top colleges.
Touray, who’s originally from Senegal, collected several more offers this summer. Playing for Tre Mann Elite on Puma’s Pro16 circuit, he averaged 10.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent from the field.
The rising big man has become a top priority for Will Wade and his staff at LSU. Touray was in Baton Rouge this weekend for an official visit. It was his second official visit thus far after he saw Georgia in mid-September.
In addition to those two schools, Touray is being pursued by Missouri, Ole Miss, Florida State, Kentucky and more. Duke recently entered the picture as well, as staff members got a look at the promising 15-year-old during a trip to Prolific Prep, which has become a major hot spot for college coaches. Expect the offers to keep piling up for Touray and for new contenders to emerge in his recruitment.
Meet your guides
