Dana Altman will be looking to rebound after his first losing season as head coach of the Oregon basketball team. After going just 12-20 with a 5-15 record in Big Ten play, the Ducks will return just 1 player from last season as the roster has completely flipped. While the loaded transfer class will drive the excitement, the High School class brings some excitement.
The biggest addition in the incoming recruiting class for Oregon is highly sought after Small Forward Tajh Ariza. The elite signee is the son of long-time NBA star Trevor Ariza who played his college basketball at UCLA.
Tajh Ariza takes one last leap in new Rivals 150
On Monday, Rivals unveiled their final rankings for the recruiting class as most of the recruits prepare to arrive on campus. Heading into the update, Tajh Ariza ranked as the 56th best player in the Country, the 19th ranked small forward in the class, and the 4th ranked player out of California. The final update bumps Ariza up to 27th in the country, 8th at the position, and 2nd out of California.
🚨NEW🚨 Final 2026 Rivals150 Basketball Rankings🏀
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 4, 2026
Breakdown via @JamieShaw5: https://t.co/fJ9OFosu0M pic.twitter.com/Rfcjt7s2tr
The bump in the rankings isn't a surprise as Tajh Ariza still may be ranked too low Nationally. After dominating high school basketball in California, Ariza played his final season for National powerhouse Link Academy where he continued to impress.
Given the size and frame Ariza has, he's already built for the next level compared to some of the other recruits who may have more exciting ceilings, but may struggle to adapt. Players with Ariza's size paired with his ability to handle the ball, and create his own shot are hard to come by, and he'll quickly prove to be up to the task.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, Tajh Ariza has the potential to be the missing link for the Oregon Ducks that can take this group over the top. At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Ariza already has the frame to be an effective wing at the college level as he continues to develop. If Ariza is able to develop into a reliable piece as a freshman, it only gives this group more firepower off the bench giving Altman more resources to deploy.
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