Johnny Dawkins turned a football win into a recruiting showcase over the weekend, giving a handful of elite prospects a look at UCF’s campus and atmosphere during the Knights’ 21-13 victory over TCU.
UCF men’s basketball has kept pressing on the recruiting trail as the season approaches, and the staff used the trip to host several class of 2027 and 2028 targets. The group included multiple 4-star talents, a local big man, and two seven-foot prospects who could fit the program’s long-term frontcourt plans.
Lucai Anderson was among the headliners. The 2027 4-star shooting guard from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, was the only UCF target who came in before the TCU game, making his own visit to campus.
Anderson started his high school career at Trinity Christian Academy in Texas before moving to the Ascenders. He is also the brother of former Texas Tech star Christian Anderson, who played two seasons for the Red Raiders before being drafted No. 18 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2026 NBA Draft.
“I really liked the program and the plan they have for me," Anderson said about his visit. "The school has a great environment with a great coaching staff”
Another 2027 name that drew attention was Jackson Hawke, a wing prospect who may still be flying a bit under the radar, even as his camp performances have started to turn heads. Hawke attends Utah Prep, the same school where reigning No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa played his senior year. His game is built on length, size, rebounding, and work on the offensive glass.
UCF also welcomed Jacoby Briscoe, a 2027 4-star recruit who checks in at 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds. Briscoe is ranked No. 2 in Virginia and plays for The St.
James Academy. UCF, Vanderbilt, and Washington are among the programs currently in the mix, and he is either visiting or planning to visit all three.
The most local player in the group was Precious Sam, who is heading into his senior season at Southeastern Prep in Orlando. At 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, Sam brings the kind of frame that can matter early in college. He played for NBA veteran Paul George’s AAU team and averaged 7.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game at the Nike EYBL’s Peach Jam.
The weekend’s lone 2028 visitor was Chase Smith, a 4-star forward and the No. 3 player in North Carolina. Smith attends Queen’s Grant Academy and already holds offers from USC, Georgia, and Auburn.
UCF also hosted Koang Bol Kuany, a 7-footer who stands out immediately just by walking into the gym. The comparison point inside the program is obvious, though current starting center John Bol and Bol Kuany are not blood-related. Still, the idea is clear: if UCF can land Bol Kuany, he could develop behind Bol and potentially grow into the Knights’ next big interior force.
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UCF Faces A Bigger Test Than TCU In First Big 12 Road Game
UCFs Big 12 start could not have gone much better, with the Knights handling TCU in their league opener and now turning the page to a far tougher assignment. The next stop is a road trip to face No. 20 Houston, a noon ET kickoff on ESPN2 that will give Scott Frosts team its first conference game away from home and a quick read on how it travels in a league that can punish every misstep.
Houston coach Willie Fritz has already taken notice of what UCF brings to the table, while Frost knows the Cougars present a different kind of challenge than the one the Knights just passed. The matchup pairs a UCF team looking to prove its opening win was a start, not a peak, against a Houston group that has become harder to run on and more dangerous because of the way it disguises things on defense. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Hoops Gets An Early Test After Last Seasons Breakthrough
UCFs breakthrough season earned the program a louder stage, and the next step in the climb is already taking shape. The Knights now know part of their non-conference path for 2026, with the ESPN Events Invitational set as an early measuring stick after last seasons NCAA Tournament appearance and the momentum that came with it. The broader 2026-27 slate is also in place, with nine home and nine road Big 12 games mixed in with several non-conference dates, giving Johnny Dawkins another chance to see how far the program has come.
The timing matters, too, because UCF is trying to build on more than just one good run. Dawkins already has stability on the sideline after receiving an extension through the 2028-29 season, and that kind of continuity is part of why the Knights can treat these early-season tests as more than simple tune-ups. The invitational will provide another read on where UCF stands against outside competition, but the real question is how quickly the Knights can turn last years success into something more durable once the Big 12 grind starts. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Derry Is Doing The Work UCF Needs Most Right Now
Josh Derry has fit neatly into the part of UCFs offense that does a lot of the heavy lifting without always getting the loudest praise. The senior wide receiver, a transfer from Monmouth, has emerged as one of the Knights most trusted pass catchers and was singled out by Pro Football Focus as one of the Big 12s top returning receivers, but his role goes beyond what shows up in the box score. He has talked openly about valuing the work that helps the offense function, especially blocking and helping the running game stay on schedule.
For a UCF team that wants balance and knows what is ahead, that kind of buy-in matters. The Knights are headed into a demanding stretch and will need more than perimeter production from their receivers if they are going to keep pace, which is why Derrys willingness to embrace the less glamorous assignments stands out. He may be leading the group in yardage, but the bigger question for UCF is how much his all-around game can help carry an offense that is about to be tested in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]