Cal is in the mix for one of the most coveted centers in the 2027 class, and the decision is coming fast.
Lewis Uvwo, the top-rated center prospect in the nation, is set to announce his commitment Wednesday. Cal made the cut as one of his four finalists, alongside Kentucky, Baylor and Providence.
Uvwo, a 6-foot-11 five-star from Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is ranked sixth overall in the class of 2027 by ESPN. 247Sports and Rivals/On3 both have him at No. 7 overall. He’ll make his announcement at Prolific Prep.
The numbers around his recruitment show just how tightly this race is packed. Rivals/On3 gives Kentucky a 26.1% chance of landing him, Baylor 22.8%, Cal 19.6% and Providence 15.8%, so the Bears are very much in the hunt.
Uvwo’s offer sheet goes well beyond those four schools. Duke, Michigan, Kansas, Texas, North Carolina, Houston and UCLA are among the other programs that have offered him.
For Cal coach Mark Madsen, landing Uvwo would be a major win, especially with top-50 guard Gene Roebuck already committed for 2027.
Uvwo’s rise has been remarkably fast. He grew up in Nigeria, started playing basketball only three years ago and did not begin organized basketball until age 15 after moving to the United States in 2025. Even with that limited background, he has already carved out a reputation as a disruptive defensive force.
He’s a 225-pound athlete with a relentless motor and a knack for protecting the rim. On the Nike EYBL circuit, he averaged 6.1 blocks.
Offensively, he’s still coming along, but he has shown touch on short jumpers and baby hooks. Coaches see a player with energy, confidence and leadership traits who is developing quickly.
Uvwo visited Cal during the Bears’ first football weekend, when UCLA beat Cal 45-24 at California Memorial Stadium in front of a sellout crowd.
In a 247Sports report posted Tuesday, Uvwo explained what each finalist has been telling him. On Cal’s pitch, he said:
"They talked to me about how they are going to help me make it to the next level and how they were going to put me in positions to make me prepared for the next level and how they would play me. They have a plan to make me better offensively and all of that."
Cal opens the regular season Monday at home against Adams State, a Division II team that went 18-11 last season. The Bears are coming off a 22-12 campaign that ended with a run to the second round of the NIT.
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