By R.L. Bynum
Michael Malone has continued to be aggressive on the recruiting trail in the last week, and now has scholarship offers out to six of the top seven players in the Class of 2027.
The headline offer came Thursday, going to five-star center Lewis Uvwo, the No. 1 center and No. 6 overall prospect in the class, after he was one of the most talked-about players at Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
The 6–10, 225-pound Nigerian native, who has only been playing basketball for less than three years, averaged 11.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and six blocks per game over seven games, a stretch that included a 10-point, 10-block, nine-rebound near triple-double. He was named the first 17U EYBL Defensive Player of the Year.
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Uvwo is the third five-star center in the 2027 class to earn a UNC offer, joining Darius Wabbington and Paul Osaruyi, a sign that Malone is stacking his board at a single position rather than banking on one shot at a big man.
The competition for Uvwo includes Duke, Mississippi State, LSU, Kansas and Kentucky.
Also last week, UNC extended an offer to NaVorro Bowman Jr., a 6–3 combo guard from Sherman Oaks, Calif., and the son of former four-time NFL All-Pro NaVorro Bowman.
Bowman, No. 12 in the overall rankings, had already talked about his relationship with Malone earlier this month, telling 247Sports why UNC felt different from the rest of his recruitment.
“Michael Malone texts me,” Bowman said. “He was an NBA coach, so he knows what he’s talking about. I’m sure he’s going to have a great season. It just means everything that he’s recruiting me and talking to me.
“I’m a leader,” Bowman said. “Defending, scoring, leading my guys, telling them what sets to be in, who to guard. I feel like there’s not a lot of people who can do that.”
Earlier in the week, Malone’s staff also made an offer to Asa Montgomery, a fast-rising small forward out of Powder Springs, Ga., shortly after his game concluded at Peach Jam.
Montgomery, the No. 27 player in the class, already held offers from Alabama, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Houston and Auburn before UNC entered the picture. His stock has climbed fast, rising from the 101st-ranked recruit in the 2027 class last June.
He backed that rise up on the court, scoring 27 points with five rebounds in front of more than a dozen college coaches during a Peach Jam game.
Montgomery has also spoken about the kind of summer that got him here, one that included a USA Basketball gold medal.
“Man, it was crazy,” he told 247Sports of the experience. “Being able to be there in Turkiye and win a gold medal was a great feeling.”
Malone has also made an offer to Class of 2028 6–3, 170-pound point guard Brady Pettigrew from Lisle, Ill., who plays for Brad Beal Elite. Pettigrew, No. 15 in the class, led the entire Nike EYBL 16U circuit at Peach Jam, averaging an event-high 23.6 points to go with 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.0 assists, shooting 47.2% from the floor and 46.2% on 3-pointers.
His signature moment came when he hit a game-tying jumper for a 3-point play at the buzzer, then made the winning free throw after the horn. Pettigrew has said he could feel the interest from top programs building throughout the event.
UNC scholarship offers
Class of 2027
| Pos. | Stars | Name | Hgt | Wgt | Hometown | Rank * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 5 | Nasir Anderson | 6–4 | 205 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | 7 |
| PG | 5 | Beckham Black | 6–3 | 180 | Orlando, Fla. | 2 |
| CG | 5 | NaVorro Bowman Jr. | 6–3 | 180 | Sherman Oaks, Calif. | 12 |
| CG | 5 | Adan Diggs | 6–5 | 180 | Goodyear, Ariz. | 4 |
| SF | 5 | Demarcus Henry | 6–7 | 190 | Chandler, Ariz. | 3 |
| SF | 4 | Asa Montgomery | 6–7 | 195 | Powder Springs, Ga. | 27 |
| C | 5 | Paul Osaruyi | 6–10 | 220 | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 11 |
| C | 5 | Lewis Uvwo | 6–10 | 225 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | 6 |
| PF | 5 | CJ Rosser | 6–10 | 195 | Orlando, Fla. | 1 |
| C | 5 | Darius Wabbington | 6–11 | 245 | Phoenix | 15 |
Class of 2028
| Pos. | Stars | Name | Hgt | Wgt | Hometown | Rank* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | 5 | Colton Hiller | 6–6 | 210 | Coatesville, Pa. | 2 |
| C | 5 | Yann Kamagate | 7–0 | 230 | La Canada Flintridge, Calif. | 3 |
| CG | 5 | Brady Pettigrew | 6–3 | 185 | Bolingbrook, Ill. | 15 |
| SF | 5 | AJ Williams | 6–8 | 210 | McDonough, Ga. | 1 |
Photo via @Lewisuvwo1
