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Big Man Michael Nwoko Picks Up UCLA Men’s Basketball Offer

The Bruins are pursuing a 6-foot-10 class of 2023 recruit from Canada.

Benjamin Royer

As the Bruins try to piece together their 2023 recruiting class, coach Mick Cronin has offered another fast-rising post prospect.

UCLA men’s basketball became the latest school to offer class of 2023 forward Michael Nwoko on Saturday morning, the 6-foot-10 recruit announced on Twitter. The Burlington School (NC) product visited Vanderbilt on Thursday, but his recruitment still remains open.

Nwoko holds offers from Boston College, Creighton, East Carolina, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Harvard, High Point, Houston, NC State, North Carolina A&T, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Providence, Siena, USF, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. UCLA became the 18th program to offer, and would likely need to ramp up its recruiting efforts with Nwoko as he nears his commitment.

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247Sports, On3 and Rivals all have Nwoko rated as a three-star prospect, with the former two ranking him as a top-30 center in the class of 2023. Nwoko is ranked as the No. 199 prospect in the nation, No. 26 center and the No. 8 ranked player in North Carolina, according to the 247Sports Composite.

At the FIBA U18 Americas Tournament earlier in June, Nwoko played for his native Canada. Nwoko averaged nearly a double-double, scoring 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game en route to a bronze medal.

Appearing on the Nike EYBL circuit throughout the spring, Nwoko averaged 6.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Nwoko is a physical presence in the paint at 240 pounds and can finish at the rim as well, as he showcased through the tournament. The big man can get out in transition, and he is a significant threat to finish lobs.

In the two weeks since he returned to the United States, Nwoko received five of his offers.

UCLA is still commitless for its 2023 recruiting class, but over the past few weeks, Cronin has targeted a long list of top prospects in the hopes of landing his first pledge of the cycle. Nwoko joins Jamie Kaiser, Kaden Cooper, Devin Williams, Brandon Williams, Isaiah Miranda and Cedric Lath among 2023 prospects to have recently received an offer from the Bruins.

With multiple UCLA players set to leave Westwood after the 2022-2023 season – opening up as many as eight scholarships – Nwoko could provide immediate depth down low if he were to select the blue and gold as his future home.

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Benjamin Royer
BENJAMIN ROYER

Benjamin Royer is a contributing writer at All Bruins, in association with the FanNation and Sports Illustrated networks. Royer is a third-year student at UCLA, where he is a Sports contributor for the school's award-winning student-run newspaper, The Daily Bruin. Royer was previously the Sports Editor at The Valley Star, Los Angeles Valley College's independent newspaper, and he helped develop the Twinger Talk YouTube channel and The Double Play podcast. He is also a professional actor, previously appearing in programs on Showtime, ABC, Disney Channel, FOX and CBS.