2027 top-10 recruit Paul Osaruyi earns Kentucky offer

Paul Osaruyi said he felt a Kentucky offer was ‘coming close’ after mutual interest between the five-star forward and the program began to pick up. Now, it’s a reality, as the top-10 prospect in 2027 has announced a scholarship from the Wildcats going into the spring.

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward from CIA Bella Vista Prep (Glendale, AZ) announced the latest offer on social media. He also picked up an offer from North Carolina under new coach Michael Malone on the same day.

Osaruyi previously told KSR+ that he had his eyes on Kentucky for a long time, watching the Wildcats as a kid, thanks to the program’s Canadian ties with the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray coming through Lexington.

“I know Coach Mark Pope. We both played the same position, so I knew him from when he was playing. I like their play style,” Osaruyi said. “It’s a good school. Obviously, from when Coach [John] Calipari was over there, they were recruiting a bunch of Canadians and a bunch of guys who have made it to the NBA. I’ve been watching them ever since I was young.”

Other schools involved include West Virginia, Arkansas, Oregon, Duke, Houston, Syracuse, Texas and Virginia, among others.

He’s also been a rumored reclassification candidate with a February 2008 date of birth, not ruling out a potential move to 2026 before it’s all said and done.

“Obviously, that’s always up in the air, but right now, my agent and I haven’t discussed anything like that yet,” Osaruyi added.

For now, he remains in 2027, where he joins the likes of Reese Alston, Beckham Black, Obinna Ekezie Jr., CJ Rosser, Marcus Spears Jr. and Dawson Battie to receive early Kentucky offers.

Osaruyi will be a name to watch throughout the spring and summer for the Wildcats.