Maryland lands 5-star Baba Oladotun: What this means for Terrapins

Baba Oladotun, one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, committed to Maryland on Wednesday, picking the Terrapins over Kentucky, Georgetown and Arkansas.

Persuading Oladotun to pick Maryland is a recruiting coup of sorts for first-year coach Buzz Williams and the Terps, given that Oladotun is a local; the 6-foot-10, 195-pound forward with a wiry build reminiscent of Kevin Durant plays at Blake High in Cloverly, Md., just 30 minutes from College Park.

Flanked by his parents and siblings — and with nearly 5,500 people tuned in to the YouTube livestream — Oladotun said it ultimately came down to two local schools, placing Maryland and Georgetown hats on the table in front of him.

As his teammates cheered off camera, Oladotun smiled before getting to the point: “With that being said, I’ll be committing to the University of Maryland,” he announced, as he and his family unzipped their hoodies to show off Terps shirts.

When his father stood up to accept congratulations, he turned to someone in the crowd and said gleefully, “Only 20 minutes from the house!”

Oladuton is the No. 10 prospect in the 2026 class according to the 247 Sports Composite ranking. He becomes the second-highest ranked commit in Maryland history, behind Diamond Stone (No. 8 in 2015) and surpassing Derik Queen (No. 12 in 2024).

Oladotun was the top player in the 2027 class before announcing in August that he planned to reclassify to 2026. His father, Ibrahim, told The Athletic then that Baba was already on track to graduate early, and the decision to go to college earlier was motivated by the Oladotun family’s desire to “protect an asset.” Oladuton will turn 18 next month, meaning age-wise, he’ll fit right in with other freshmen when he starts college next fall.

Oladotun’s decision to stay at his local high school — instead of transferring to a prep school and playing entirely with and against other top prospects across the country — bucked a trend in high school hoops and drew praise from around the basketball community. 

Ibrahim previously told The Athletic that he and Baba thought it was important for their family for him to stay local and play with his friends. They figure he can get his fill of competition in the spring and summer on the AAU circuit with Team Durant, as well as by attending various elite camps. 

The addition of Oladotun significantly bolsters Maryland’s 2026 class, which was ranked No. 13 before his commitment. In addition to Oladotun, the Terps have commitments from guard Kaden House (No. 37 nationally) as well as forwards Adama Tambedou (No. 121) and Austin Brown (No. 213).