Arizona Basketball: Wildcats land 5-star wing Dwayne Aristode for 2025 class

When he was an assistant at Gonzaga, Tommy Lloyd was known for his recruiting abilities overseas, especially in Europe. He took that with him to Arizona Basketball, landing a few quality foreign players. And now, the latest newcomer to the program is a star from the Netherlands in Dwayne Aristode.

He's a 6'8 "true small forward prospect known for his defensive skills and overall athleticism, which translate to both the college and potentially the pro levels. Aristode projects to be a quality two-way prospect for the Wildcats, who beat out Duke, Michigan State, and USC for his services.

Arizona Basketball lost Pelle Larsson this offseason, and there's a strong chance that 5-star freshman prospect Carter Bryant will start on the wing this year. He's an impressive athlete on his own right, so there's a legit chance that he won't be around by the time Aristode is around. But even if Bryant isn't ready for the pro ranks, these two could still play together on the frontcourt since Oakland transfer and projected starter Trey Townsend is around for just one year.

The same is said for returning leading scorer and Pac-12 Player of the Year guard, Caleb Love. Once he's gone, there's going to be a scoring vacuum that both Bryant and Aristode can help fill for the 2025-26 campaign. The size, versatility, and athleticism the Wildcats will have in the future is important for the program, now in the Big 12.

To this point, Arizona Basketball has been fairly quiet on the recruiting trail this offseason, not being in the mix for many top-tier class of 2025 prospects. That makes the landing of Aristode all the more important for the program, landing one of its current marquee targets. Who will be next on Coach Lloyd's radar?