Five-star attacker Tajh Ariza, the son of 18-year-old NBA veteran Trevor Ariza, was verbally dedicated to Oregon on Friday.
Ariza, the number 18 player in the recruitment class 2026 in The 247Sports Compositechose the ducks above USC. He becomes one of the highest rated commits in the history of Oregon, behind only Bol Bol, Kel’el Ware and N’Faly Dante.
A 6-foot-9, 200 pounds ahead of the St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, Tajh Ariza was built as his father. He projects as a direct-impact college defender, although his attacking skills still need some Polish. If that reconnaissance report sounds known to old NBA fans, it should be: Trevor, a second round pick from the New York Knicks from UCLA in 2004, was a relative non-shooter who entered the competition before he developed into a career 35.1 percent sniper of 3.
But the dedication of Ariza is important above its name, and even further than the second 2026 commit of Dana Altman. (The first is the four -star center Kendre Harrison, a rare athlete with two sports and five -star tight final perspective that will also play for Oregon’s football team.)
After the adoption of the House v. NCAA settlement this summer, the recruitment of college basketball has been delayed to a crawl. Many coaches, uncertain about the role that zero collectives – and their treasury – have been able to play, have chosen to wait for clarity from the NCAA before they make major financial obligations to high school students. Accordingly, Ariza is only the fourth five -star perspective in the 2026 class to commit so far, a number that remains in comparison with earlier cycles. None of the top eight players in the class were still concerned, and Jason Crowe Jr. – the no. 9 Recruit, which is on its way to Missouri – is the only one in the top 13. That delay has also been strengthened by rising high school prices; The costs for five-star cavity talent are now regularly with those of established options for high major transfer.
Since the start of the high school season is approaching in the following month, expect more top players to come from the board – but don’t be surprised if some of the best players in the 2026 class wait until spring, when coaches will hopefully have a better idea what financial limitations they work under.
(Photo: Craig Strobeck / Imagn Images)
#Oregon #Basketball #Lands #5star #recruit #Tajh #Ariza #son #NBA #player #Trevor #Ariza