7‑Foot, 4‑Star Center Marcis Ponder Includes Bearcats in top 7 schools

The Cincinnati Bearcats were named in standout recruit Marcis Ponder's top 7 schools, being the only Big 12 school alongside Miami (FL), Indiana, Providence, Illinois, Florida State, and Texas.

Ponder is a 7-foot, 320-pound center in the class of 2026 and has taken social media by storm with his nickname "baby shaq" and extremely impressive highlight tape.

Ponder has one of the best paint presences seen in any prospect of recent years, able to finish over multiple defenders with his crazy athleticism and strength.

Ponder is the No. 69 recruit in the class of 2026, the third-ranked player in Virginia, and the No.7 center in the class of 2026. Ponder attends Gillian Academy in Virginia, right out of Washington, D.C.

The Bearcats are heavy on recruiting a center from the class of 2026, already offering the No. 70 recruit, Josh Irving, another 7-foot center.

Ponder doesn't possess the spacing ability that most highly recruited centers do, but his athleticism, strength, and ability to completely change a game make up for it. There truly hasn't been a big man recruit that dominates the paint quite like him.