Top 10 2026 prospect Ikenna Alozie -- friends with DJ Wagner -- is on Kentucky's radar

Ikenna Alozie cracked On3’s “Overall top performers” list following the conclusion of the adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championship, which wrapped up on Sunday in Rock Hill, SC. That’s what happens when you’re the lead guard for a team — Utah Prospects 17U — that won the title game (for the second year in a row) against an Indiana Elite squad that features a pair of top Kentucky targets: Malachi Moreno and Braylon Mullins.

But what makes this accomplishment especially notable is that Alozie is a member of the 2026 recruiting class and was playing up a year for the Utah Prospects. This was actually his second straight year playing on the 17U squad. He sure didn’t look like one of the few young guys on the floor, though.

The 6-foot-3 guard (ranked No. 9 overall by the On3 Industry Ranking) posted per-game averages of 16 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 23.9 minutes across seven games played in Rock Hill. He shot 47.3 percent from the floor and 69 percent from the line.

Alozie is an explosive guard with plenty of strength. He was throwing down hammer dunks that had the crowd (and a bevy of college coaches watching from the stands) buzzing. But his ability to defend, get to the rim, and fight for rebounds is what has him ranked as a borderline five-star prospect.

“I bring a lot. Especially I just bring energy,” Alozie, who came to the United States from Nigeria in 2022, told KSR. “Trying to get my teammates going, just try to help them, everybody together. Even if I can’t get going, my teammates are there to help.”

2026 5⭐️ Ikenna Alozie is the goods‼️Alozie led Utah Prospects 17u with 15pts to return back to the 3SSB Championship 😮‍💨🔥@alozieikennaAI3 I @UtahProspects I @3SSBCircuit pic.twitter.com/pOcELU4TPq

— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) July 14, 2024

Turning to his recruitment, Alozie holds scholarships from plenty of big-name schools. Michigan offered him on Monday. The likes of Kansas, Villanova, Oregon, UCLA, Louisville, LSU, BYU, Alabama, and many more have also offered. He specifically mentioned Houston, Kansas State, Villanova, and California as schools he’s hearing from the most right now.

The Kentucky Wildcats have yet to extend an offer, but they’re monitoring his play. Alozie tells KSR that assistant coach Cody Fueger reached out to him since the contact period opened in June. Fueger watched Alozie and Utah Prospects play multiple times at the 3SSB Championship over the weekend.

As an interesting side note, Alozie says that he’s close with former Kentucky guard DJ Wagner, who followed John Calipari to Arkansas earlier in the offseason. Alozie actually stayed at Wagner’s home for a stint when he first came to the US and there was a time when the two nearly suited up together for Camden (NJ). Chuck Martin, an assistant coach at UK last season who also followed Calipari to Arkansas, has reached out to Alozie on behalf of the Razorbacks.

Alozie, who is about to enter his junior high school season with Dream City Christian (AZ), says he has yet to take any unofficial visits and does not currently have any planned.