Ohio State and head coach Jake Diebler have landed one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2027 class.
Four-star Deng Ngor, a 6-foot-8 wing from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who attends Fort Erie International Academy, announced today that he has committed to Ohio State, choosing the Buckeyes over a final four that included Duke, Florida, and Washington.
Ngor is coming off a breakout summer that significantly elevated his stock as a national prospect. He helped lead Canada to a gold medal at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, including a 15-point, three-steal performance in Canada's 67-65 win over the United States in the championship game. Across five total AmeriCup games, Ngor averaged 10.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
Ngor entered the summer as somebody already generating interest from some high-major programs, but his performance on the international stage and throughout the spring and summer pushed his recruitment to another level.
He trimmed his list to Ohio State, Duke, Florida, and Washington in mid-August before landing on the Buckeyes after a visit a couple of weeks ago. Rivals/On3 ranks Ngor as the No. 42 overall in the 2027 class and Top-10 among all small forwards.
For the Buckeyes, Ngor gives Diebler and his staff a versatile piece who can impact the game in a variety of ways.
Ngor's size on the wing immediately stands out. At 6-foot-8, he has the length to play multiple positions, with the mobility and athleticism to operate on the perimeter. He has shown the ability to attack closeouts, get downhill and finish around the basket, while also providing spacing as a catch-and-shoot threat.
Defensively, his versatility may be one of his biggest selling points heading into the college game. Ngor's length and athleticism allow him to defend on the perimeter while also providing the ability to slide down and defend bigger players in the paint. His lateral quickness, motor and ability to use his length make him a disruptive presence on that end of the floor. A skill that is likely to continue to develop once he arrives in Columbus next summer.
The Buckeyes made Ngor a priority early in his recruitment, and Ohio State was among the first programs to seriously pursue him as his stock began to rise. The Buckeyes extended an offer to Ngor back in May, before his recruitment really started to explode during the summer. Following his eye-opening performance at the AmeriCup, offers began to roll in from schools like Duke, Auburn, Florida, Virginia and many others, elevating his recruitment to a whole other level.
"The constant contact from the coaching staff really just meant a lot to me and made me feel super welcome," Ngor told Basket Under Review. "When I stepped on campus for my visit, it just felt like home and somewhere that I could take the next step when it comes to me as a person and me on the court."
Ohio State hosted Ngor for his official visit Sept. 5-6, a visit that sources say made a strong impression on Ngor and his camp. That weekend ultimately helped Ohio State separate itself from the other finalists and led Ngor to shut down his scheduled visits to the other programs in his top four. Diebler and his staff ultimately got the job done, landing a commitment from one of the biggest risers in the ‘27 class.
There are still areas of Ngor's game that he can continue to develop over the next couple of years. Improving the consistency of his jumper will be important as he progresses, and filling out his body should help him handle the physicality of the high-major level.
The upside is certainly there, though, and Ngor has plenty of room to grow as a prospect. His combination of size, length, athleticism and skill already gives him a strong foundation, and further development as a shooter and physically could take his game to another level as he arrives in Columbus.
Ngor becomes the first commitment in Ohio State's 2027 recruiting class, but the Buckeyes have already been active in building relationships with several other members of the class.
Four-star Josh Tyson has already visited Columbus, while four-star Jaxson Davis was on campus the same weekend as Ngor for his official visit. Ohio State is also expected to host several other top targets in the coming weeks and months.
Four-star Antonio Pemberton is among those with plans to visit, although he is said to be trending toward Michigan State after his visit to East Lansing this past weekend. Four-star Jaydn Jenkins is still scheduled to visit Ohio State in a couple of weeks, followed by four-star Jason Gardner Jr. in October. Geren Holmes is also expected to visit Columbus sometime in early November.
With Ngor now locked in, Diebler and his staff have the first piece of their 2027 class secured. With plenty of time left in the 2027 cycle, Ohio State will now turn its attention to adding to what is already a strong start to the class.
