That Arizona enters the spring signing period Wednesday with four open scholarships isn’t really anything new.
The Wildcats pretty much flip half their roster over every spring, and actually had six openings at this same point two years ago.
The difference this time is that their Pac-12 competitors have led up to the spring signing period with a string of game-changing commitments, sometimes at Arizona’s expense.
In the past week alone, among players UA had also been targeting, USC picked up a commitment from Long Beach State grad transfer Joshua Morgan, UCLA landed Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang, and Stanford landed its highest-ever rated recruit, prized high school wing Ziaire Williams.
Then on Monday evening, a five-star recruit that Arizona had long ago dropped out of the running for, and reportedly was leaning to play at Michigan, far outside the Pac-12 … committed to Arizona State instead. That means Josh Christopher will now play at least twice against the Wildcats next season.
The flurry of spring activity has pushed Stanford to the top spot among Pac-12 teams in the 247Sports.com team recruiting rankings, with Williams joining a four-player class that also includes four-star forward Max Murell and two three-star players.
The Cardinal’s recruiting class is ranked ninth nationally, while ASU is 23rd, thanks to Christopher’s decision to join four-star forward Marcus Bagley.
Both teams, however, could face significant pro losses: Stanford guard Tyrell Terry, ASU guard Remy Martin and Sun Devils forward Romello White have all declared for the NBA Draft — with at least Martin expected to stay in it.
The 2020 recruiting classes from Utah (19th) and UCLA (30th) also rank higher than Arizona nationally (33rd), while USC is 41st in rankings that don’t even factor in transfers — and the Trojans landed four of them, including Morgan.
But, of course, there’s still a long way to go. And if Arizona can land top remaining target Kerwin Walton, a four-star shooting guard from Minnesota, the Wildcats will jump up the rankings and improve their Pac-12 prospects next season.
A high school teammate of departing Wildcat forward Zeke Nnaji, Walton visited Arizona for its Red-Blue Game last September and has continued to consider the program.
But North Carolina gained an open scholarship last week when Brandon Huffman entered the transfer portal. The Tar Heels offered it to Walton, even though they already have the nation’s third-rated recruiting class, including three five-star players and four-star former Arizona target Puff Johnson.
“Arizona has long been right there for Walton,” said 247Sports.com analyst Josh Gershon. “Carolina is making a late push and you can see that maybe things are swinging in their favor. … You get the feeling that maybe they (Walton and his family) have been waiting for Carolina. Arizona led for some time, but he didn’t commit.”
Other schools are pushing hard, too. Walton is also considering Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Georgetown and home-state choice Minnesota.
A story last month in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune noted that Walton’s cellphone “seemed to buzz every other minute” as coaches checked in on him.
“It’s been crazy,” Walton told the Star-Tribune. “I don’t think it’s been like this ever.”
UA signee Dalen Terry is one of two incoming freshmen who are expected to compete for playing time this winter.
If they don’t get Walton, the Wildcats are expected to keep scouring the transfer portal for wing players. They already have commitments from high schoolers Dalen Terry and Ben Mathurin, both of whom are high school wings.
Arizona is also recruiting Purdue grad transfer center Matt Haarms and some international post prospects.
While Terry signed a letter of intent during the fall signing period, Mathurin committed in January and is expected to sign this spring. UA cannot announce additions until it has received their letters of intent or, in the case of transfers, scholarship papers, but the school sometimes waits until its entire class is finished before making announcements.
Georgetown transfer James Akinjo has already enrolled at UA and will be eligible at the latest to play in mid-December, while Seattle U transfer Terrell Brown committed on April 7 and can be announced after he enrolls or signs scholarship papers at some point this spring.
Provided he finishes his undergraduate degree this summer, Brown will be eligible at the start of next season.
