COLLEGE PARK, MD – Head coach Buzz Williams announced today the signing of Austin Brown (Lufkin, TX), Kaden House (Phoenix, AZ), Adama Tambedou (Senegal, Africa/Springfield, MA), and Baba Oladotun (Silver Spring, MD) to the men's basketball program. The addition of the quartet gives Maryland the No. 3 ranked recruiting class in the country and makes Maryland one of seven programs over the last three years to have a top-25 player in each of those recruiting classes.
In just his short time at Maryland, Williams has now signed three of the Terps top nine overall ranked recruits in the past 15 years.
Brown is a 6-foot-8 power forward from Lufkin High School who is a composite four-star recruit and was the first commitment in the 2026 class. He is the No. 116 overall recruit in the class who also held offers from Iowa, Minnesota, SMU, and Texas A&M among others. In addition to his prep career at Lufkin, Brown also played for JL3 Elite, coached by Maryland alum and all-time great John Lucas, on the Nike EYBL AAU circuit. During his time at Lufkin, he was named the 2024 District 16-5A MVP as well as to the 2024 All-Region Team. He ranks third all-time in scoring at Lufkin with 1,853 career points heading into his senior season.
"We've known Austin for some time now and have a long-lasting relationship with him and his family. He is a terrific fit for our style of play as well as a great culture fit," said Williams. "At 6-foot-8, he is a dynamic wing player who will be ready physically to compete in the Big Ten. Austin will be able to play a number of positions in our system and is a physical rebounder as well. His relationship with John Lucas has already introduced him to the history of Maryland and he's excited to be a part of that next chapter."
House is a four-star combo guard from Compass Prep which plays on the EYBL circuit. He is a top-50 overall recruit in the 2026 class. Overall, he is the 247sports No. 37 player in the class. He is the son of former NBA player Eddie House who was a standout at Arizona State. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 13.5 points last season to lead Compass Prep as well as 3.5 rebound and nearly three assists and three steals per game. House also held offers from Vanderbilt, TCU, LSU, and Michigan among others. His twin brother Kalek committed earlier in the year to Xavier. House began his prep career at Scottsdale Desert Mountain before transferring before his junior year to Compass Prep. Earlier this month, House was named to the 2025-26 Naismith Trophy Boys High School Player of the Year Watch List.
"Kaden is someone who really wants to be a part of what we do as a program and how we develop not just players, but people. He is a downhill guard who can defend and score at the rim with a unique ability to draw and play through contact," said Williams. "Growing up with a father who was an NBA player gives him perspective on the processes needed to develop and the work it takes. The relationship he's built with us and the trust he has in how we structure our development of players was a major factor for him in his decision."
Tambedou, who won a national championship title with Putnam Science Academy last season, is a four-star forward who ranks No. 108 nationally and No. 2 in the state of Connecticut. He also plays for the Rhode Island Elite AAU program on the Puma circuit where he averaged 15.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks through 14 games last season. He chose Maryland over Iowa State among others. Tambedou was a key piece of Putnam's fifth prep national championship title in the last seven years last season with the Mustangs posting a school record 41-2 overall record. He averaged 7.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, one block and one steal per game, while shooting 61 percent from the floor. Early this season, Tambedou has increased his productivity to 15 points and eight rebounds per game.
"Adama has really developed into a strong, physical player who can stretch the floor. He is one who wants to work hard, develop, and be in a system that will maximize him as a player and a person," said Williams. "He's had a unique journey and path, but has found success in each turn and used his experiences to make him an exceptional young man. We think he'll add tremendously to our ability to space the floor, rebound, and score in a multitude of ways."
Oladotun is a five-star wing from James Hubert Blake High School in Rockville. The Silver Spring native is the No. 10 overall recruit in the nation, the No. 1 prospect in Maryland, and the No. 3 ranked small forward. He is the second-highest rated recruit to sign with Maryland behind Diamond Stone (No. 8) and ahead of Derik Queen (No. 12), Jalen Smith (No. 15), and Darius Adams (No. 15). He chose Maryland over Arkansas, Georgetown, and Kentucky. The 6-foot-10 wing also played in AAU for Team Durant on the EYBL circuit. His father, Ibrahim, played at Virginia Tech from 1989-91 and professionally in England and Greece. Oladotun is the third five-star signee over the last three seasons joining Derik Queen (2024) and Darius Adams (2025). Originally, Oladotun was part of the 2027 high school class, but reclassified in August. He will turn 17 in December. Last season for Blake, he averaged 22.5 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 steals. Oladotun entered the 2025-26 season as a Max Preps Preseason All-America Second Team selection after earning Max Preps Sophomore All-America honors last season.
"While Baba is relatively young for his age as a player compared to his peers, as a person he is wise beyond his years. That's not just a credit to how he has gone through his process, but to how his family has raised him and his siblings," said Williams. "He will be a terrific fit for our program in how he wants to grow as a player and a person. Baba has a high potential and will make an impact from the first day. His length, athleticism, and high basketball IQ make him one of the top players in the country. For him to continue his career close to his family, friends, and those who have supported his journey is incredibly special."
The other six programs to have signed a top-25 player in each of the last three seasons: Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Miami, and North Carolina.
