Arizona's long recruitment of Carter Bryant pays off with commitment from 5-star forward

While scrambling to put together a competitive roster next season, Arizona dug a foundation for the future Wednesday when five-star class of 2024 forward Carter Bryant committed to the Wildcats.

The 6-8, 225-pound forward from Sage Hill School announced his decision before friends and family in Riverside, California, and via a 247Sports livestream that attracted 1,600 viewers. He is scheduled to join four-star combo guard Jamari Phillips in playing for the Wildcats starting in 2024-25.

“I felt like it was the best program for me from the aspect of the person that I am,” Bryant said. “I felt it fit me the most on and off the court.”

While the Wildcats have long been considered a leader for Bryant, who has visited Tucson many times, his impending decision appeared to stir anxiety in some UA fans after a rough start to the spring that included a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Princeton, the decision of star forward Azuolas Tubelis to declare for the NBA Draft and the commitment of Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard to Gonzaga over Arizona.

The Wildcats still have only seven players expected to be on their 2023-24 roster as of now, and even wing forward Pelle Larsson has declared for the NBA Draft, though he is practicing with the Wildcats and expected to return.

During the 247Sports livestream Wednesday, analyst Travis Branham told Bryant he was getting “Arizona fans extremely excited and celebrating in Tucson,” asking Bryant what he will bring the Wildcats.

“A player that just wants to win, somebody that doesn’t care about their stats, whatever it may be,” Bryant said. “Somebody who wants to just compete daily and get better.”

Of course, Bryant will likely produce plenty of stats. Since overcoming a significant leg injury as a high school freshman, Bryant has blown up into a five-star recruit and NBA prospect, a hybrid forward who can shoot from range or get to the basket comfortably.

“Carter is a dynamic mismatch forward who can play either the three or four, is able to put the ball on the ground, stretch the floor out to three with a jumper,” Branham said. “There’s a tremendous amount of potential upside as he continues to learn how to utilize his body and his physical tools on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor.

“Just a premier talent. So Tommy Lloyd comes away with a big prize.”

‘I’m gonna get better’

Lloyd and the UA staff have long made Bryant one of their highest priorities, recruiting him shortly after Lloyd was hired in April 2021 and offering him a scholarship in June 2022. Bryant visited the Wildcats twice during the 2021-22 season and came back to watch UA’s Red-Blue Game last fall. Bryant also took in the UA’s Selection Sunday celebration at St. Phillips Plaza on March 12.

After all that exposure, Bryant cited the UA fanbase and coaching staff as reasons for his decision.

“The coaching staff has coached at multiple levels, whether that’s high school, college or the pro level, even overseas,” Bryant said Wednesday. “The players they’ve had in the past ... I know their development is some of the best in the country. So I know that ... when I get there, I’m gonna get better.”

Early in his UA recruitment, Bryant said he was speaking with former UA assistant Jason Terry, who transitioned briefly from Sean Miller’s staff to Lloyd’s in 2021 before becoming a G League head coach. Terry left before the 2021-22 season began, but Bryant said he felt a strong interest from Lloyd’s staff.

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Bryant also had UA roots pulling at him. Despite growing up in Southern California, Bryant said he did not really follow the Bruins or Trojans much but he was actually kind of a Wildcats fan, being the nephew of former UA volleyball player Shaquillah Torres and soaking up the atmosphere in Tucson.

“It means a lot because the fanbase that they have and their support system they have is ridiculous,” Bryant said. “I feel like it’s one of the best fanbases in college basketball, if not the best, and just to be able to play there at the McKale Center after being able to watch my aunt play there while I was growing up … it’s definitely an opportunity I’ve always dreamed of.”

Bryant began his high school career on a rough note, breaking his tibia and fracturing the growth plate in his left leg when drawing contact during a dunk attempt. He drew recruiting attention as a sophomore in 2021-22, including that of Arizona, but was playing restricted minutes.

After the 2021-22 season, Bryant transferred from Fountain Valley High to Sage Hill School to keep playing for his father, D’Cean Bryant, who transitioned between jobs at the schools. Carter led Sage Hill to the Pacific Coast League title and was named the Daily Pilot’s Dream Team Boys Player of the Year.

After the season, Bryant was named to a practice team of top high school and college players called the “Portland Generals” that scrimmaged against USA Basketball and World Select teams in preparation for the prestigious Hoop Summit game on April 8 in Portland.

In an interview with On3 before narrowing his decision to two schools last month, Bryant said Louisville had a legendary staff while also saying UA is a legendary school.

“When a coaching staff that has welcomed me and my family with open arms comes in and gives me an opportunity to play for a staff that has produced so many pros, it is a school that will definitely catch your eye,” Bryant said of Arizona.

“How coach (Tommy) Lloyd and the rest of the staff believe in their players and allow them to play with freedom is also important to me. ... The consistency that the program has showed over the past two years with a new coaching staff shows how the players and community has bought in to coach Lloyd and the high-level coaching staff out in Tucson.”

Larsson testing draft

Larsson made an unexpected appearance on the early-entry list the NBA released Tuesday evening, giving him the the chance to receive feedback from NBA scouts and attend predraft workouts with teams. He could also be invited to the NBA Combine or G League Elite Camp next month in Chicago.

But while Tubelis is expected to stay in the NBA Draft pool, Larsson has given signs that he will return to Arizona. He has been working out with the Wildcats this spring and attended an NIL seminar at UA’s Hall of Champions last week.

Larsson was not listed on a Rookiescale.com compilation of early entrants, nor is he listed among ESPN’s top 100 draft prospects.

Players have until May 31 to withdraw from the draft pool if they wish to return to college.

The Pac-12’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22, Larsson started the first half of last season and then came off the bench for the second half. He was the Wildcats’ fourth-leading scorer (9.9 points) and the team’s most versatile defender.