Class of 2027 Blair Academy big man Kamsi Awaka is heading to Storrs this weekend for an official visit to UConn, according to League Ready’s Sam Kayser.
Awaka, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center, put together a strong summer as one of the country’s top traditional bigs. He made his mark for New Heights on the 3SSB circuit by scoring inside and protecting the rim with consistency.
His recruitment has already narrowed to five schools: Arizona, UConn, Florida, Michigan and Michigan State. Arizona also stopped by to see him on Thursday.
There’s a family connection with the Wildcats. Awaka is the younger brother of Tobe Awaka, who was a major rebounding force during Arizona’s run to last season’s Final Four. Tobe Awaka, a former New York Gatorade Player of the Year at Cardinal Hayes HS, is now on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls.
At Blair, Awaka helped power a team that won its third straight Mid Atlantic Prep League title in 2026. He is expected to anchor Joe Mantegna’s defense next season.
Awaka’s length and instincts were on full display this summer, especially when it came to erasing driving lanes and protecting the paint. He averaged four blocks per game and earned Defensive MVP honors in the 17U All Circuit Honors.
Blair has also reloaded after June graduation took away two of its biggest names: Brooklyn guard Deron Rippey, now a freshman at Duke, and shot-making guard Jaen Chatman, who is headed to Rhode Island.
The program responded by landing Georgia Tech commit Kamari Whyte, a four-star, 6-foot-3 guard whose transfer from Vermont Academy proved vital for New Heights during its Adidas 3SSB championship run with Awaka this summer.
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Mike Locksley has already framed the trip as more than just another nonconference game, especially after using the opener to lean on depth and development. For Maryland, it is the kind of road test that can reveal whether the fast start was simply a strong first step or the beginning of something more, and for UConn it is a chance to measure itself against a Big Ten roster that should bring a different level of speed and physicality. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Just Landed A Five-Star Piece Dan Hurley Really Needed
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The commitment also fits the larger trend that has defined UConns recent recruiting success, with Bowman becoming the fourth five-star player Hurley has landed since 2023. For a program that continues to recruit like a national heavyweight, getting in first with a prospect of this caliber matters, and Bowmans decision after his visit gives the Huskies an early foothold in a class that figures to draw plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Faces A Physical Early Test Against Maryland At Home
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UConn, meanwhile, has its own reasons to feel encouraged after a convincing debut, especially with Brown making an immediate impact in the passing game. The bigger question in a matchup like this is whether the Huskies can match Marylands line play and hold up in the red zone, because a home win here would say plenty about how ready they are for this kind of test. [Read more 🡒]