Arizona lands coveted worldwide hoops recruit

Prime worldwide basketball prospect Dwayne Aristode, a top-20 recruit within the 2025 highschool class, instructed ESPN he has dedicated to Arizona.

“The successful tradition Tommy Lloyd has constructed at Arizona is outstanding,” Aristode stated Sunday. “They play quick and have the appropriate stability between construction and giving gamers freedom.”

Aristode picked the Wildcats over an inventory of different finalists that included Duke, USC, Michigan State and the NBL Subsequent Stars program.

The 6-foot-8 wing from the Netherlands is taken into account considered one of Europe’s most promising younger prospects, having already made his senior nationwide workforce debut as a 17-year-old this summer season, with robust performances in opposition to Serbia and Belgium.

“Representing my nation was a dream come true,” Aristode stated. “The tempo and physicality had been very totally different. I wanted that have enjoying in opposition to a three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic to see the place my recreation is and the place I wish to go personally. I wish to assist the Netherlands develop into the most effective groups on the earth sooner or later.”

Aristode is coming into his second season of highschool basketball in the US at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, and he performed on the Nike EYBL grassroots circuit with Expressions Elite. He spent three years earlier than that in Spain with Joventut Badalona.

“My expertise within the U.S. goes to assist me as a result of I had loads of time to regulate to the tempo and elegance of play,” he stated. “Taking part in EYBL for Todd Quarles and Expressions opened my eyes to the velocity of the sport and the aggressiveness it is advisable to play right here. I’ll mix that into my recreation with what I realized rising up in Europe.”

Lloyd constructed a repute as a global basketball recruiting maven as an assistant at Gonzaga, reeling within the likes of Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Ronny Turiaf (France), Rui Hachimura (Japan), Kelly Olynyk (Canada) and Mario Kasun (Croatia), amongst many others. Aristode will proceed that pipeline at Arizona.

Arizona has one other numerous roster this season, with 5 worldwide gamers in Motiejus Krivas (Lithuania), Anthony Dell’Orso (Australia), Henri Veesaar (Estonia), Conrad Martinez (Spain) and Emmanuel Stephen (Nigeria). They enter the season No. 9 in ESPN’s prime 25 rankings.

Aristode is the primary participant to decide to Arizona within the class of 2025. He brings defensive versatility together with his chiseled body and 6-foot-10 wingspan and dynamic 3-point capturing prowess.