Eastern Washington transfer Kim Aiken may yet become an Arizona Wildcat.
Aiken is scheduled to announce his new choice Monday between Arizona, Washington State, DePaul and Miami (Fla.), according to Locked on Wildcats podcaster Mike Luke, who spoke to Aiken on Saturday.
A 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward who was the Big Sky defensive player of the year last season, AikenΒ reportedly committedΒ to the Wildcats the day before Sean Miller was fired, andΒ decommitted from Washington StateΒ last week.
WSU coach Kyle Smith told the Spokane Spokesman-Review recently that Aiken was a two-way player who would bring βleadership, maturity (and) toughnessβ to the Cougars.
Β βReally like him, excited about him," Smith said. "Itβll be hard to get him off the floor. I just think from what Iβve seen and his attitude, I just think heβs got leadership qualities to him.β
While also being named a first-team all-Big Sky pick last season, Aiken averaged 11.3 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Eagles. In Arizona's 70-67 win over EWU on Dec. 5 at McKale Center last season, Aiken scored six points on 1-for-8 shooting (1 for 7 from 3-point range) and collected five rebounds.
Arizona still has a need for a post player in addition to Azuolas Tubelis, Christian Koloko and Oumar Ballo, though the Wildcats can shift Bennedict Mathurin to power forward as they did in a pinch last season.
Arizona has 11 scholarship players on its 2021-22 roster as of now, with two open spots. But since new coach Tommy Lloyd has been bracing for possible scholarship restrictions in the future because of the school's impending NCAA sanctions case, taking a grad transfer who has only a year or two left to play could be a fit.
Aiken was a redshirt junior last season so he would technically have two seasons left to play because of the COVID eligibility waiver for players who competed last season.
