It's been a quiet offseason for the Oregon Ducks, but Dana Altman and his staff are about to get serious.
Oregon has three crucial visits for the 2026 class, three players that could form the foundation of a monster starting lineup in Matt Knight Arena.
Tajh Ariza is as 5-star 6-9 small forward from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, the No. 8 prospect in the country according to Rivals. Altman offered him in the fall of his sophomore year. He's the son of 18-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza.
Ariza told Eric Bossi of On3 Sports,
"What can separate me is being nearly 6-foot-9 with guard skills and being able to defend anywhere on the court and rebound. I'm just focusing on being versatile and establishing my role as a leader this year. I think that will separate me from the pack."
Ariza is ridiculously smooth and athletic, and he's a complete player. He can pick the ball off the backboard, dribble the length of the floor and dish it to a teammate cutting under the basket. He can fly like Erving or Jordan, throw it down, shoot, defend. He sees the floor beautifully.
Joe Tipton of On3 Sports reports Aziza's visiting Oregon on September 6, just in time for the football game with Oklahoma State. Eugene in the late summer should make a great sales pitch, even for a guy who has lived all over the country.
Playing for Weschester in the City Section Open Finals in February, Aziza had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the semifinal game against Cleveland. In a 65-55 win in the final he put up
19 points, eight rebounds and four assists, outdueling Alijah Arenas, son of NBA star Gilbert Arenas.
He transferred to Bosco this spring, joining Brandon McCoy and Christian Collins in the Braves' starting five, three of the top five recruits in the country.
Small forward Cameron Holmes has lined up a trip to UO for September 20, a date that puts him in town for the rivalry game with Oregon State. A 6-6 shooting guard from Goodyear, Arizona, Holmes is a 4-star recruit and the No. 18 player in the country.
There's a family connection here too. Holmes is the younger brother of Dayton star DaRon Holmes II, who averaged 20.4 points a game for the Flyers in 2023-24 and is now with the Denver Nuggets.
Kansas, North Carolina and Stanford have offered, so getting his signature won't be an easy thing.
In the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Goodyear plays on a traveling team with McCoy,
Kaden House, and Maper Makur. In the Peach Jam tournament last summer he averaged 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists against the top competition in the nation.
As a big guard and a shooter Holmes is unique in that he's a left handed, a good ball handler who can shoot around the basket, mid-range or from three. He has a strong all-around game, athleticism and court sense.
Millenium coach Ty Admunsen told David Sisk of Tarheel Illustrated,
“He’s super-competitive, but not just on the basketball court but in the weight room. We have really been focusing on getting him bigger and stronger, because he has a certain pathway."
The third major visit for the Ducks this fall is point guard Tay Kinney, a four-star recruit and No. 20 prospect nationally, 6-3, 180, a scorer and floor leader for Overtime Elite in Atlanta.
He played for Newport High in Kentucky as a sophomore, averaging 22 points a game while carrying a 3.62 GPA.
In January last year Wildcats coach Rod Snapp told Marc Hardin of link.com,
“He’s 15, but he’s ahead of his years. It helps that he’s got good bloodlines. All kinds of people have played basketball in his family. His dad played at Lloyd. His mom went to Highlands, and her dad played.”
Kinney can dribble behind his back, pull up and drain it. He can fly to the hoop. He's a creator. With a 6-6 wingspan he's a preying mantis in the passing lanes.
He visits Oregon on September 6 along with Ariza.
An interesting sidelight about Ariza is that he participated in a panel discussion at the Uninterrupted Film Festival in 2024, answering questions about how he balances school, social media notoriety and NIL as a high-profile athlete along with Gabe Smith and Deshonne Redeaux.
Travelle Gaines conducted the interview.