Tommy Lloyd and Arizona took another hit on the recruiting trail Wednesday, as 7-foot-4 center Cherif Millogo chose Kentucky over the Wildcats.
Millogo’s commitment comes after Arizona had already missed on a pair of coveted 2027 big men, with Darius Wabbington heading to Indiana and Kamsi Awaka picking Florida. The Wildcats had offered Millogo a scholarship in May, but they were never as deep into his recruitment as some of the other programs in the mix, and he never made an official visit to Tucson.
The fast-rising center is one of the biggest names in the 2027 class. Rivals lists him at No. 11 overall, while ESPN has him at No. 8 after a recent climb from the 40s.
At 7-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Millogo brings a rare package for a player his size: midrange touch, three-point range, passing feel, rim protection, and rebounding ability. His 7-foot-9 wingspan only adds to the appeal.
His rise has been quick. Millogo missed his sophomore season because of a torn ACL, then turned heads at the Border League event in Las Vegas, where North Carolina, Texas, Louisville, Tennessee, and Arkansas all jumped in with offers.
Arizona’s frontcourt concerns have been front and center, especially after Monday’s 84-75 loss to UCLA in Las Vegas, a game in which the Wildcats struggled early and never fully caught up. The lack of physicality inside was a problem, and it served as another reminder of how important Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey is to the roster, even though he remains ineligible while many other class of 2022 seniors are already playing.
Millogo’s path to Kentucky also had an Arizona connection on the other side. His legal guardian, Luc Mbah a Moute, played at UCLA with Alfred Aboya, who was recently hired by Kentucky as an assistant coach after previously being the head coach at NBA Academy Africa.
For Arizona, the 2027 board has thinned out fast. The Wildcats offered seven recruits in the class, and six have already landed elsewhere: Millogo to Kentucky, Wabbington to Indiana, Awaka to Florida, NaVorro Bowman to UConn, Jason Gardner Jr to Auburn, and Asa Montgomery to Duke.
That leaves Adan Diggs as the lone uncommitted target. The 5-star combo guard from Millennium High School is ranked No. 6 in the class and was at the Red-Blue Showcase in September.
He has long been viewed as a likely Arizona lean, though he did take official visits to Arkansas and Kentucky in October. Diggs was teammates with Arizona freshman Cameron Holmes at Millennium, a connection that could still matter as Lloyd tries to salvage what has been a frustrating recruiting cycle.
Arizona has still landed high-profile names in recent classes, including Caleb Holt and Holmes in 2026, Koa Peat and Brayden Burries in 2025, and Carter Bryant in 2024.
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