#MUBB Adds Talented Prep Trio In 2026 Signing Class
11/12/2025 4:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Egbuonu, Johnston and Walker to join program
The Marquette University men's basketball program has announced the signing of prep standouts Alex Egbuonu (Nashua, NH/Lawrence Academy), Ethan Johnston (Queens, NY/The Hill School), and Nash Walker (Smithton, Tasmania/NBA Global Academy), head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday afternoon.
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Egbuonu and Johnston will arrive on campus in the summer of 2026, while Walker is set to join the program in December and redshirt in 2025-26.
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"I'm thrilled to welcome Alex, Ethan, and Nash, and their families to the Marquette basketball family," Smart said. "In all three, we pinpointed a genuine belief in the power of relationships, growth and victory to drive everything of consequence that we want."
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Egbuonu (6-7, 220) is a consensus nationally ranked prospect, rated as high as 51st in the class of 2026 by ESPN.com. A four-year letterwinner at Lawrence Academy under head coach Mike Foustoukos, he averaged 26.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game in 2024-25 and was a finalist for the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year Award. He was named team MVP and was an All-Independent School League honoree and All-NEPSAC AA selection as a junior and reached the 1,000-career point mark midway through his junior campaign. Egbuonu competed on the Adidas' 3SSB circuit with the Boston Area Basketball Club and led the league in scoring this past season with 22.7 points per game.
"Alex is a very unique offensive player, with the combination of power, skill and feel," Smart said. "He blends great basketball instincts with the ability to handle, pass, and shoot, mixed with competitive fire that fits us like a glove."
Johnston (6-7, 185) is a three-year letterwinner under head coach Seth Eilberg at The Hill School and was a unanimous First Team All-MAPL selection as both a sophomore and a junior. He averaged 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a junior and helped the program to school-record 25 wins and a trip to conference and state tournament title games in 2024-25. He will conclude his career among the program's top-10 in scoring, rebounding and assists. He has competed on the EYBL AAU circuit for the New York Rens, helping the team to a first-place division finish last season.
"Ethan combines terrific size and length with lateral and vertical athleticism, giving him major versatility on both ends of the floor," Smart said. "Additionally, his passing ability and propensity for taking on the toughest matchups make him extremely well-suited for our team."
Walker (6-6, 190) is a product of the NBA Global Academy, which partners with the Centre of Excellence in Australia. He played under coach Marty Clarke at the academy and coach Robbie McKinlay with CoE and the national team. He averaged 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the NBL 1 playoffs and was the Male Junior Athlete of the Year for Tasmania Basketball. He has been representing Basketball Australia dating back to 2022 when he averaged 15.4 points and 3.6 assists per game at the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship in Guam and helped the team to the championship. He most recently played in the 2025 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland.
"Nash is a true energy giver and pure shooter with a quick release," Smart said. "His competitiveness, basketball IQ and ability to make those around him better all match very well with who we are."
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Egbuonu and Johnston will arrive on campus in the summer of 2026, while Walker is set to join the program in December and redshirt in 2025-26.
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"I'm thrilled to welcome Alex, Ethan, and Nash, and their families to the Marquette basketball family," Smart said. "In all three, we pinpointed a genuine belief in the power of relationships, growth and victory to drive everything of consequence that we want."
Â
Egbuonu (6-7, 220) is a consensus nationally ranked prospect, rated as high as 51st in the class of 2026 by ESPN.com. A four-year letterwinner at Lawrence Academy under head coach Mike Foustoukos, he averaged 26.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game in 2024-25 and was a finalist for the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year Award. He was named team MVP and was an All-Independent School League honoree and All-NEPSAC AA selection as a junior and reached the 1,000-career point mark midway through his junior campaign. Egbuonu competed on the Adidas' 3SSB circuit with the Boston Area Basketball Club and led the league in scoring this past season with 22.7 points per game.
"Alex is a very unique offensive player, with the combination of power, skill and feel," Smart said. "He blends great basketball instincts with the ability to handle, pass, and shoot, mixed with competitive fire that fits us like a glove."
Johnston (6-7, 185) is a three-year letterwinner under head coach Seth Eilberg at The Hill School and was a unanimous First Team All-MAPL selection as both a sophomore and a junior. He averaged 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a junior and helped the program to school-record 25 wins and a trip to conference and state tournament title games in 2024-25. He will conclude his career among the program's top-10 in scoring, rebounding and assists. He has competed on the EYBL AAU circuit for the New York Rens, helping the team to a first-place division finish last season.
"Ethan combines terrific size and length with lateral and vertical athleticism, giving him major versatility on both ends of the floor," Smart said. "Additionally, his passing ability and propensity for taking on the toughest matchups make him extremely well-suited for our team."
Walker (6-6, 190) is a product of the NBA Global Academy, which partners with the Centre of Excellence in Australia. He played under coach Marty Clarke at the academy and coach Robbie McKinlay with CoE and the national team. He averaged 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the NBL 1 playoffs and was the Male Junior Athlete of the Year for Tasmania Basketball. He has been representing Basketball Australia dating back to 2022 when he averaged 15.4 points and 3.6 assists per game at the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship in Guam and helped the team to the championship. He most recently played in the 2025 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland.
"Nash is a true energy giver and pure shooter with a quick release," Smart said. "His competitiveness, basketball IQ and ability to make those around him better all match very well with who we are."
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
SOCIAL:Â X | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:Â #WeAreMarquette
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