The Runnin’ Utes added another talent for the upcoming season, as Lukas McCanna announced his commitment to Alex Jensen’s program on social media Wednesday.
McCanna, originally a member of the 2027 recruiting class, said he will graduate early, opening the door for the center to join Utah for the 2026-27 season.
Who is Lukas McCanna?
McCanna is a 6-foot-10 center prospect who hails from Evergreen, Colorado, and played last season for Western Reserve Academy, a prestigious prep school in Hudson, Ohio.
He has yet to be rated by any of the major recruiting services.
The day prior to his commitment, McCanna shared that he had been on a two-day official visit to the University of Utah.
Last fall, McCanna told HoopsTracker during a video interview he made the decision to go the prep school route after his junior season at Evergreen to further his development.
Western Reserve Academy won the national prep championship tournament two years ago. McCanna also played alongside one of the top 10 recruits in the 2026 class, five-star small forward Anthony Thompson (an Ohio State commit), in his lone season with Western Reserve.
In describing McCanna ahead of last season, National Elite Prep School Basketball wrote, “A big-bodied 5-man who can really move. Has a soft touch around the rim and tries to dunk anything and everything. Excellent rim protector who goes vertical with two hands.
“Physical on both ends of the floor, constantly ducking in and eating up space. An outstanding screener who creates numerous advantages with his size and physicality. Embraces contact, and his presence is felt everywhere.”
In his interview with HoopsTracker prior to joining Western Reserve, McCanna explained he reclassified to the 2027 class when enrolling at the prep school, but he planned on taking senior-level classes and, if the opportunity arose, he would reclassify back to the 2026 class and join the college ranks for the 2026-27 season.
He found that opportunity with the Utes.
“I would prefer that. I don’t want to be in high school for two more years,” he told HoopsTracker.
McCanna played three seasons at Evergreen High in Colorado prior to his time at Western Reserve Academy. During his sophomore and junior seasons, he averaged a near double-double — as a junior, that included averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, according to MaxPreps. He also shot 56% from the floor.
How does Lukas McCanna fit into Utah’s plans for the 2026-27 season?
McCanna gives Utah another depth piece on the frontcourt for the Runnin’ Utes, though he’s likely to be more of a developmental project with his impact coming further down the road.
He comes in as the tallest big man on the team, alongside a roster that will include former Weber State forward/center Malek Gomma (6-foot-8); returning forward Babacar Faye (6-9); and Austrian power forward Fynn Schott (6-8), who has yet to officially sign with the program but is expected to be in Salt Lake City next season.
While McCanna’s impact is expected to be minimal during the 2026-27 season, perhaps he could work his way into the rotation. It’s a scenario that played out for Utah last year, when big man Kendyl Sanders joined the Utes after a season of prep school at IMG Academy.
Initially, Sanders was supposed to be a developmental project, but when Faye was lost for the season to injury and due to Sanders’ own accelerated development, he ended up being a rotational piece for Jensen’s first Utah squad.
Sanders ended up averaging 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game a year ago while stretching the floor with his 3-point shooting efforts. He transferred this offseason to Mississippi State.
With McCanna’s addition, Utah’s roster appears set for next season at 15 players.
The Utes already have 11 players officially added on the online roster, and Schott and point guard Noam Yaacov — another international talent who recently participated in the NBA G League Draft Combine — are expected to sign with Utah.
A few days ago, Runnin’ Hoops Podcast Andrew Crowley reported that point guard Obomate Abbey had withdrawn from the transfer portal, a sign he intended on returning to Utah for his sophomore year. With McCanna now committed, that’s 15 players on the roster for next year.
