UCF is in the mix for one of the most important local recruiting battles it can possibly win.
Five-star forward RJ Evans, a Class of 2029 prospect from The Academy of Central Florida, has UCF on his list along with Louisville, Kentucky and Iowa. For Johnny Dawkins and the Knights, the pitch is clear: stay close, get developed, and carve out a path to the NBA.
Evans is the son of former NBA veteran Reggie Evans, and according to the source material, he is putting fit and opportunity ahead of everything else before reaching the next level. That makes this a genuine opening for UCF, which has shown it can land high-end talent during Dawkins’ run.
The Knights have already pulled in notable recruits under Dawkins, including four-star center Moustapha Thiam in 2024 and four-star forward Taylor Hendricks in 2022. Thiam spent his freshman season at UCF and put up 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game before transferring to Cincinnati.
The move left a mark on UCF fans, especially after the Bearcats reportedly spent about $2 million on him, according to the Orlando Sentinel. When Thiam returned to Addition Financial Arena, he was booed.
Hendricks gave UCF a different kind of success story. He became the highest-drafted Knight in 2023, going ninth overall to the Utah Jazz, and had a promising rookie season. He averaged 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds while hitting 37.9% of his three-pointers, the kind of production that fits the modern three-and-D mold NBA teams chase.
That track record is part of what gives UCF a real argument with Evans. Dawkins can sell development, minutes and a program willing to invest in a player over time. If Evans values that kind of runway, the Knights can make a strong case.
But the competition is steep. Kentucky and Louisville bring the kind of prestige that usually carries real weight in a recruiting fight, and both schools routinely produce first-round picks. The source also points to Mikel Brown Jr., who was selected sixth by the Brooklyn Nets and scored 15 points in his preseason debut against the Miami Heat, as another example of that NBA pipeline.
For UCF, landing Evans would mean more than just another commitment. As one of the highest-rated names the program could secure, he would be exactly the kind of recruit that helps a team build toward becoming a consistent NCAA Tournament presence.
In Other News...
UCF Fans Get One Early Look At Dawkins New Scoring Core
Johnny Dawkins new-look UCF mens basketball group is giving fans a first real glimpse at what the offense might look like this fall, and the timing is about as good as it gets for an early tune-up. The Knights will open their exhibition slate with a free home date before the regular season, and it comes with a roster that already looks different in all the right places after a summer of turnover.
The attention is naturally on the scoring additions, especially Dior Johnson and Lewis Walker, who quickly showed why they were brought in during a close loss to LSU. UCF still has one more exhibition to sort through before the games start counting, with Kentucky waiting later this month, but this next chance at home should tell fans plenty about how Dawkins wants the rotation to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Dior Johnson Gives UCF A Scoring Boost It Badly Needed
Dior Johnson is back in the UCF basketball program after a year away, and the Knights are already seeing why his return mattered. He arrived with a proven scoring rsum from Tarleton State, where he averaged 24.0 points per game, and the early signs have fit the need UCF had in the backcourt as the roster adjusts to the departures of key scorers.
In a recent preseason game against LSU, Johnson gave UCF exactly the kind of offensive lift it has been searching for. He finished with 18 points, doing most of his damage after halftime, and that kind of production could make him a central piece as the Knights try to replace lost firepower and settle into a new rotation. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Harvey Just Reached A Broncos Milestone UCF Fans Will Love
RJ Harvey kept his early Broncos run rolling Thursday night, and the former UCF back gave Denver a useful spark in a controlled win that tilted early. He punched in a goalline touchdown as the Broncos built a 14-3 lead, then added production as both a runner and receiver while continuing to show why his versatility translated so cleanly to the next level.
The passing-game work was especially notable for anyone who watched Harvey in Orlando, because it is turning into the part of his NFL profile that separates him from a typical rookie back. He finished with 25 rushing yards on six carries and paced Denvers backfield with three catches for 31 yards, a workload that also pushed him past a franchise legend in one notable category and gave Knights fans another reason to track his every Sunday and Thursday step. [Read more 🡒]