Wasatch Academy wing Emmanuel Akot will reclassify for the class of 2017, meaning he can play for the Arizona Wildcats next season, Wasatch coach Curtis Condie confirmed Monday.
Akotโs move probably also sews up the Wildcatsโ 2017-18 roster, taking the 13th and final available scholarship, meaning recruiting targets Brian Bowen and Cam Johnson are likely off the Wildcats' board. UA also received the return of sophomore Rawle Alkins on Sunday from the NBA Draft pool.
Akot committed to the Wildcats in March for the class of 2018 but Condie said Monday that Akot was in sound shape academically and just has to get through this week at Wasatch to complete sufficient high school courses that will make him able to enroll at Arizona. He said Akot is expected to attend summer school at UA, meaning he will also be eligible to play on the Wildcatsโ exhibition trip to Spain in August.
โWe were able to make it work,โ Condie said. โWe just had to make sure it could be done academically and we were able to get through all of that.
โOur kids take academic classes. Theyโre not fluff classes. I think of it as this is where the Ivy League meets the Pac-12.โ
Akot, a product of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is listed at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds but is expected to play a wing role off the bench for the Wildcats as a freshman. Condie said he also played backup point guard at Wasatch.
โHe was our backup point, we posted him up and he worked a lot on his outside shot,โ Condie said. โHe was more consistent about (his shot) and when he wants to be, he can be an outstanding defender.โ
Here's how Arizona's 2017-18 roster looks, now that it's all but finalized:
1. Dusan Ristic C Sr. 7-0 245
2. Parker Jackson-Cartwright G Sr. 5-10 170
3. Talbott Denny Sr. F 6-5 215ย
4. Keanu Pinder Sr. F 6-9 220
5. Allonzo Trier Jr. G 6-5 205ย
6. Chase Jeter Jr. F 6-10 230 (ineligible until 2018-19)
7. Rawle Alkins So. G 6-4 220
8. Dylan Smith So. G 6-5 170
9. DeAndre Ayton Fr. F/C 7-0 235ย
10. Alex Barcello Fr. G 6-2 170
11. Ira Lee Fr. F 6-8 225ย
12. Brandon Randolph Fr. F 6-6 180
13. Emmanuel Akot Fr. F 6-8 190
Or, to put the UA roster in "depth chart" form, it might look something like this heading into the summer:
PG Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Alex Barcello
SG Allonzo Trier, Dylan Smith, Brandon Randolph
SF Rawle Alkins, Emmanuel Akot, Randolph
PF DeAndre Ayton, Keanu Pinder, Ira Lee, Talbott Denny
C Dusan Ristic, Ayton
