He visited on September 9th and committed on October 3rd but 5-star forward Tajh Ariza made it official Thursday by signing with the Ducks.
A versatile 6-9 wing from Los Angeles, Ariza is the No. 17 prospect in the 247 Sports Composite and No. 6 swing forward. He announced live on CBS Sports.
He gives the Ducks an elite scorer, defender and rebounder with the Big Three of Nate Bittle, Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans on track to leave after the current season. Bittle is an extra-year senior while Shelstad and Evans are draft-eligible juniors.
Ariza is the son of 18-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza, who won a championship in 2009 as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The son transferred to St. John Bosco in April this year after winning a City Section title at Westchester last season, his father's alma mater.
He played on Team USA's U19 all-star team. In a City Section semifinal game against Cleveland High last spring he put up 20 points and 10 rebounds matched up against Alijah Arenas, another 5-star prospect and the son of NBA veteran Gilbert Arenas.
Ariza told ESPN, “They are going to prepare me for the next level. Coach (Dana) Altman told me that they have minutes for me and need me to play as a freshman but told me I must earn those minutes. ‘We must see your work.’ I have to earn it.”
He talked about how Dana Altman gave him shooting advice during his visit.
“I was shooting in the gym with the Oregon uniform on and Coach Altman was there," Ariza said. "He corrected my shot, and then I made almost 30 3s in a row. I got the chills making all those shots and that’s when I felt he was the coach for me.”