By ADAM ZAGORIA
Franck Kepnang, the 6-foot-11, 250-pound center from Westtown School (PA) and the PSA Cardinals, announced his commitment to Oregon on Saturday and will enroll soon.
Ranked the No. 6 center in the Class of 2021 247Sports.com Composite rankings, Kepnang had a slew of suitors, including Texas A&M, Ohio State, Kansas, Pittsburgh, Miami and St. John’s. After initially saying he planned not to reclassify, Kepnang opted to head to college for the upcoming season.
“One of the reasons why I picked Oregon is from an academic standpoint, it’s a really good school,” Kepnang said in a phone interview. “And also for the major that I want to pursue [robotics engineering], they have the latest technology in that field and a subject that I really like.
“And from a basketball standpoint, they play a style that I really like. They spread the floor and I know that I will be able to handle my business on the post and also outside.
“They also have a winning tradition and I’m a winner and I really want to win. I’m just excited to be a Duck and get to work.”
He averaged 11 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks last season.
“Franck has a chance to be a one-and-done in the 21 NBA Draft,” Westtown coach Seth Berger said. “His defensive ability, IQ and energy dominate one side of the floor. His tap-and-dive, lob-catching ability and improving shot make him an ideal center in today’s NBA game.”
Franck Kepnang is a walking high school highlight film @WTbbasketball pic.twitter.com/nxdzPHvPye
— Greg Levinsky (@GregLevinsky) January 12, 2020
Kepnang has a tremendous ability to run the floor, is an elite rim defender and continues to expand his offensive arsenal.
He isn’t shying away from his NBA dreams, either.
“My ultimate goal is to make the NBA and stay in the NBA,” he said. “For me it’s God’s will. I will just keep working and whenever the time’s right, the time’s right.”
Oregon has small forward Johnathan Lawson, power forward Isaac Johnson and big man Nathan Bittle committed in the 2021 class, but Kepnang could be gone by then.
This post has been updated.
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