Dec 21, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks to the referee on the sidelines during the first half of the game against Central Michigan Chippewas at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona Basketball in Line for Top Recruiting Target

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Troy Hutchison | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 6:00 AM ET

Since taking over Arizona, head coach Tommy Lloyd has been one of the most successful up-and-coming coaches in college basketball going 112-33 over the course of the last four seasons making the NCAA Tournament each season and leading the program to three Sweet Sixteen appearances.

This past season, Lloyd and his program entered a new era of Arizona basketball with the Wildcats leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big 12 Conference. In UA’s first season in a new conference, the team went 24-13 while finishing third in the conference standings.

In the Big 12 Tournament, the Wildcats made it to the conference title game and fell 72-64 to Houston, which would go on to play for the National Title.

Following the end to the season, Arizona lost star guard Caleb Love to graduation and forward Carter Bryant to the NBA Draft where he went No. 14 overall to the San Antonio Spurs.

Plus, Arizona saw two key players in KJ Lewis and Henri Veesaar leave the program and transfer to Power 4 programs.

Despite that, Arizona will be fully loaded again with four key returners in Jaden Badley, Tobe Awaka, Anthony Dell’Orso and Motiejus Krivas. Plus, Lloyd and his staff signed the No. 2 recruiting class according to 24/7 Sports.

Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Now, Arizona is locking in on the recruiting trail again and working to put together another high-level class for the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Lloyd and his staff have offered Cameron Holmes, who is a 6-foot-6, 195-pound small forward that is rated as a five-star prospect according to the 24/7 Sports composite ratings and is out of Goodyear, Ariz., where he plays for Millennium High School.

Over the years dating back to the days of the Lute Olson era, Arizona has dominated the state in recruiting and gotten the majority of the high-level prospects with names like Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Jerryd Bayless, Deandre Ayton and most recen tly Koa Peat all picking the Wildcats over other major programs.

Recently on Twitter, 24/7 Sports’ Dushawn London has reported that Holmes has cut his list down to a final six with Arizona, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois all making the list.

Right now, Holmes has listed official visits for Illinois (Sept. 12), North Carolina (Sept. 19), Oklahoma (Oct. 3), Texas (Oct. 31), Gonzaga (Nov. 7) and Arizona getting the last visit on Dec. 5 when the team hosts Auburn.

This article first appeared on Arizona Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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