John Calipari is making a run at a big man, but does he have a Plan B?
The recruitment of five-star seven-footer Obinna Ekezie has become topic number one for Arkansas basketball fans. 247Sports has more on the recruit and his plans:
"The pursuit of five-star big man Obinna Ekezie Jr. appears to be almost done, with five programs still holding out hopes, some of which are higher than others. The 7-foot junior, whose father was a standout center at Maryland before a seven-year NBA career, is planning to reclassify to the Class of 2026, giving one lucky program a massive late addition.
"The No. 4 player and No. 2 center in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the Class of 2027, his ranking will drop naturally when he moves to 2026, like Baba Oladotun's did when he was the No. 1 player in his class, but fell to No. 11 when he moved up by a year."
We have said that John Calipari needs a veteran big man to round out this roster, but if he can't get a veteran big, bringing in Ekezie would certainly help. Having an active, long, explosive big who can protect the rim and alter shots -- and cause opponents to not even shoot the ball on many occasions -- would give Arkansas the interior defensive force who would complement the perimeter defensive prowess of the guards on Calipari's incoming recruiting class. There's no question Ekezie would meet a critical need and make this roster better.
We can debate and discuss the value of bringing in a freshman instead of a veteran who is polished and ready to go from Day 1. The fact that Ekezie was originally a 2027 prospect who is now considering reclassification to 2026 makes him an especially young piece of the puzzle if he does join UA. Getting younger, not older, doesn't move the needle in the right direction -- not as much as a polished big would -- but Calipari might be in a position where he thinks the veteran portal options aren't worth it, and he should take his swings with high schoolers. It's an understandable line of thought.
As for the status of this recruitment: Louisville has received a projection for Obinna Ekezie. Arkansas isn't currently the favorite to land him. Regardless of how this recruitment ultimately unfolds, it's worth emphasizing the point that if Calipari can't land Ekezie, what really matters is having a good Plan B as a backstop to build Arkansas' roster even more.