FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas coach John Calipari is one of many coaches down in Rock Hill, (S.C.) this weekend to evaluate potential recruits at the NBPA Top-100 Camp.
One 2027 prospect in attendance is 4-star center Caleb Ourigou, who will walk away this weekend with his stock on the rise. He’ll also leave pocketing an offer from the Razorbacks.
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The 6-foot-10, 215 pound center is now the latest prospect to keep a name on as Calipari looks to add more elite talent to the Razorbacks’ 2027 recruiting class.
He is also a potential 2026 reclass option, according to multiple reports, which could benefit Arkansas in a tremendous way if he decides to head to college early.
Ourigou has emerged as one of the hottest names on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring and recently added scholarship offers from several high-major programs such as TCU, Virginia, Michigan, NC State, Missouri, Auburn, BYU, UConn, Syracuse, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The Razorbacks are in need of more size in the post to go alongside Furman transfer Carson Bowser, and Ourigou already plays with physicality that can translate to college ball quickly.
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He played his junior season on the campus of the Atlanta-based Overtime Elite for Cold Hearts, and averaged over 17 minutes, six points, eight rebounds and one block per game while connecting on 57.3% from the floor but only 44% at the free throw line.
He helped lead his team to the finals of the tournament while making 75% of his field goal attempts and improved his free throw rate to just over 57%.
The New York native plays for NY Renaissance on the EYBL circuit and averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game during Session II to close out the month of May. Ourigou made over 62% of his attempts from the field.
Scouting Report
There is tremendous value in big men who embrace doing “big man things,” and Ourigou fits that description, especially for teams in desperate need of a gamechanger down low.
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Ourigou consistently establishes position in the paint whether it’s to score, rebound, and block shots. For someone listed anywhere between 215-220 pounds, his frame on film looks much bigger and filled out.
His frame allows him to embrace physicality in the paint, create second-chance opportunities and battle on the boards effectively. While he may lack sophistication in his game as a stretch big, he can still make an impact as an enforcer, which is most important when lining up against older, experienced opponents.
Defensively, Ourigou plays off both feet and uses natural instincts to block and alter shots down low. His length and willingness to contest shots combined with a relentless motor and mobility allows him to recover quickly when defending pick-and-roll actions, which is an increasingly important trait in modern college basketball.
Arkansas Razorbacks associate head coach Kenny Payne during his time at Louisville. | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images
One area he does struggle with is his consistency offensively, but has shown the ability to be a three-level stretch scorer. Associate head coach Kenny Payne has a strong history of developing elite big men and helping them become a reliable option in area other than the paint.
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What Ourigou does understand is how to use his physical tools in the paint. He embraces contact, maintains balance through traffic and finishes effectively around the basket.
Should his offensive game fully catch up with his defensive skills, then Ourigou can quickly become one of the premier centers in the country for 2027. His combination of size, motor and instinctual rebounding provides him with a ceiling that few prospects at his position can match to this point.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Arkansas Offers 4-Star Center After Impressive Showing at NBPA Top-100 Camp.
