Arizona lands desired international hoops hire

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  “40”/ > Jonathan Givony, ESPNOct 13, 2024, 09:44 AM ET Close NBA draft expert and author
  Signed Up With ESPN.com in July 2017
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Leading worldwide basketball prospect Dwayne Aristode, a top-20 hire in the 2025 high school class, told ESPN he has actually devoted to Arizona.

“The winning culture Tommy Lloyd has constructed at Arizona is exceptional,” Aristode stated Sunday. “They play quickly and have the right balance in between structure and giving players flexibility.”

Aristode picked the Wildcats over a list of other finalists that included Duke, USC, Michigan State and the NBL Next Stars program.The 6-foot-8

wing from the Netherlands is considered among Europe’s most appealing young potential customers, having currently made his senior nationwide team launching as a 17-year-old this summer season, with strong performances against Serbia and Belgium.Editor’s Picks

“Representing my nation was a dream come true,” Aristode stated. “The rate and physicality were extremely different. I needed that experience playing versus a three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic to see where my game is and where I want to go personally. I want to help the Netherlands become one of the very best groups in the world in the future.”

Aristode is entering his second season of high school basketball in the United States at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, and he played on the Nike EYBL grassroots circuit with Expressions Elite. He invested three years before that in Spain with Joventut Badalona.

“My experience in the U.S. is going to assist me since I had lots of time to adapt to the pace and design of play,” he stated. “Playing EYBL for Todd Quarles and Expressions opened my eyes to the speed of the game and the aggressiveness you require to play here. I will integrate that into my game with what I discovered maturing in Europe.”

Lloyd built a reputation as an international basketball recruiting maven as an assistant at Gonzaga, attracting the likes of Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Ronny Turiaf (France), Rui Hachimura (Japan), Kelly Olynyk (Canada) and Mario Kasun (Croatia), amongst lots of others. Aristode will continue that pipeline at Arizona.Arizona has another varied roster this season, with 5 worldwide players in Motiejus Krivas(Lithuania), Anthony Dell’ Orso(Australia), Henri Veesaar (Estonia), Conrad Martinez (Spain)and Emmanuel Stephen (Nigeria ). They go into the season No. 9 in ESPN’s leading 25 rankings.Aristode is the first player to commit to Arizona in the class of 2025. He brings protective flexibility with his ripped frame and 6-foot-10 wingspan and vibrant 3-point shooting prowess.