The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team added a fourth player to its 2027 recruiting class Wednesday, landing a commitment from four-star center Jack Thelen, according to Joe Tipton of Rivals.
The 7-foot-1 center averaged 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this past summer. He is ranked 111th in the class and 16th among centers, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
The Osseo, Minn. native originally committed to Wisconsin in June before reopening his recruitment in mid-October. Less than a month later, the 7-foot-1 center has decided on UConn after visiting the school on Oct. 29.
Thelen also visited Illinois on Nov. 7, according to 247Sports.
247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein credited Thelen with possessing a quality motor and a clear care factor.
“He’s got a definite competitive streak, is vocal on the defensive end and willing to use his body in the lane,” Finkelstein wrote in a July 2026 evaluation. “While he is sometimes content to trot the floor hunched over, he’s not as vulnerable when pulled to the perimeter defensively as expected. Offensively, he doesn’t appear to need a certain number of touches or shots to stay engaged.”
Thelen joins French recruit Keny Vado as the second center in the Huskies’ 2027 class. In addition to Thelen and Vado, UConn has also previously landed commitments from consensus five-star recruits NaVorro Bowman Jr. and Jordan Page. 247Sports’ composite rankings currently ranks the Huskies’ class as the second best in the country, behind LSU and Houston.
As things currently stand, Thelen will join a center group including Vado, Na’jai Hines, Oskar Giltay and Elmir Džafic.