Arizona landed a much-needed ball-handler to pull together its new-look roster on Friday, when Samford grad transfer Justin Coleman announced he would spend his final season playing for the Wildcats.
“Thank you father God for this opportunity, thanks to all the great programs that have gave me an opportunity,” Coleman tweeted. “But it’s BEAR DOWN!”
Coleman’s decision gives Arizona its fourth new player in just three weeks, and he isn’t planning on being UA’s last addition, either: The Wildcats have now emerged as one of three top choices for five-star forward Jordan Brown, and still have a shot at re-landing guard Brandon Williams.
“You gotta add one more,” Coleman playfully tweeted in response to the Star’s updated list of potential 2018-19 players Friday, adding emojis for “bear down” and “look out.”
Coleman announced he would play for the Wildcats as he finished his official visit to Tucson.
Brown, meanwhile, has reportedly narrowed his choices down to Arizona, Nevada and California. He has already visited Cal, UCLA, St. John’s and Louisiana-Lafayette, where his father, Dion, is in the school’s Hall of Fame. He will also consider Stanford if he is admitted.
Philippe Doherty, co-director of Prolific Prep, said Brown is now considering a fifth and final visit, and that UA coach Sean Miller has been speaking with him weekly.
“Arizona is selling him on that they’re going to have a good team, the opportunity for playing time, coaching and that they play a national schedule,” Doherty said.
Brown’s family is “looking for a lot of different things — coach, offensive system, the opportunity to play early in his career, the opportunity to get to the NCAA Tournament, a good strength and conditioning program, solid academics and good teammates,” Doherty added.
A four-star recruit out of Birmingham’s Wenonah High School who played his first two college seasons at Alabama, Coleman told 247Sports that he felt Arizona was a good opportunity for him and the team.
Coleman visited Texas (April 9), Texas Southern (April 13) and SMU (April 20) before visiting Arizona. He also considered Marquette, Ohio State, UAB, Auburn and Saint Louis.
The 5-foot-10-inch, 170-pound Coleman started 16 of 67 games at Alabama, averaging 6.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He sat out 2016-17 after transferring to Samford.
Coleman then became a second-team all-Southern Conference pick by the league’s coaches, starting 27 of 32 games while averaging 13.5 points and 6.6 assists, the highest assist average in the Southern Conference.
Coleman also posted a 2.4-1 assist-turnover ratio, hit 80.6 percent of his free throws and made 37.3 percent of his 3-pointers.
“Even going back to his time in high school, you could definitely see that he’s an explosive playmaker and that he can get downhill, get in the paint and either create for himself, or set up an easy basket for others,” Samford coach Scott Padgett said on the team’s website.
“He has a great work ethic and love for the game. He also competes on every play and wants to win. Those are the things that definitely draw your attention as a coach.”
Coleman and returning UA guard Dylan Smith of Mobile will get a homecoming game of sorts when the Wildcats play at Alabama on Dec. 9, something Crimson Tide superfan Hunter Johnson already made note of.
“Good look to Justin in all but one of his games next year,” Johnson tweeted.
Coleman will have an opportunity to start at point guard for the Wildcats, who only have sophomore Alex Barcello at the position so far, while Williams could give the Wildcats another high-caliber option if he decides to re-commit.
Williams, who decommitted from UA on March 2, is scheduled to visit Gonzaga this weekend and is also considering Oregon, with plans to make a decision sometime after this weekend.
Arizona now has four commits for the class of 2018: Coleman, California high school guard Devonaire Doutrive, Belgian wing Omar Thielemans and Pitt grad transfer forward Ryan Luther. All four players have committed in the past three weeks.
The Wildcats also have six players returning, giving them 10 players lined up overall for next season. Three scholarship spots remain.
