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The one and only time an Ariza came through Alaska Airlines Arena was in 2004 when a 6-foot-8 Trevor was a freshman forward for UCLA and put up 21 points while committing a numbing 9 turnovers in an 86-84 overtime victory over a star-studded University of Washington basketball team.
This one-and-done Ariza and his Bruins would be lucky to get out of town unscathed that January night after facing a lineup that featured junior guard Will Conroy, who went for a game-high 29 points, backed by sophomores Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy, who added 18 and 16, points, respectively.
Twenty-one years later, the UW is trying hard to persuade another Ariza, Tajh -- who turns 17 next month, likewise stands 6-foot-8 and comes as highly advertised as his father did -- to spend however long he stays in the college game in Montlake.
This past week, the second-generation Ariza, who plays for Westchester High School in the heart of Los Angeles, same as his dad did two decades ago, told the On3 recruiting site that Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, USC and the Huskies had come in to visit him this season.
The following schools have been in to see 5⭐️ Tajh Ariza this season, he tells @On3Recruits:
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) February 14, 2025
Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, USC, and Washington. https://t.co/UWtTMH04Ph pic.twitter.com/2C5UOJOzEr
While the Huskies probably face long odds in landing young Ariza -- who's rated as the No. 8 player for the Class of 2026 by On3 -- the fact that Danny Sprinkle and his staff are competing with the big-boy programs for this kid says a lot in how this UW coach envisions his program.
After all, Sprinkle's 2025 collection of talent has earned a No. 13 ranking and includes a pair of top 50 players in 6-foot-10 Niko Bundalo and point guard JJ Mandaquit, with the brazen idea that Alaska Airlines Arena could become a destination program after largely being dormant since the days of Isaiah Thomas and before that Conroy, Roy and Robinson.
Maybe Ariza will want to play alongside the touted Bundalo and Mandaquit.
Tajh Ariza got the spotlight on him next. But he’s comfortable with it. He watched his pops Trevor excel in the League.
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) September 2, 2024
Full Day in the Life: https://t.co/GRz34IMAzu pic.twitter.com/cvLepVmB2d
For sure, the Huskies have been working this kid hard. Last June, Arizona told the recruiting site Recruits Zone how Kentucky, USC and Washington were the first three schools initially to contact him after his sophomore season ended and the recruiting window opened.
Whoever gets him likely won't have this gifted player for long. At least that's Ariza's plan as he envisions his basketball career unfolding.
"I’m also looking for coaches that are going to hold me accountable and develop me, because I’m not trying to stay in college for more than a year," Ariza told On3. "I'm trying to get in and get out. So I want to play for someone who has the same vision as me."
DON’T MESS WITH TAJH ARIZA @_theetajhariza @NikeEYB pic.twitter.com/njlThyuEXL
— Overtime (@overtime) July 14, 2024
Trevor Ariza did the same, sticking around UCLA just long enough to average 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for an 11-17 Bruins team that had its season abruptly end in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament in Los Angeles with a 91-83 loss -- to the Huskies.
in his final college game, Ariza had a dozen points against a UW team that was headed to the NCAA Tournament.
The elder Ariza ended up playing 18 seasons in the NBA for 10 different teams through 2022, averaging 10.4 points an outing while appearing in 1,118 games.
And, along the way, he had a son who might be as good, or even better, than him.
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Indiana Basketball Makes Final 6 For Nation's No. 3 Center Recruit
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men's basketball is among six finalists for one of the top big men in the class of 2026. Davion Adkins, a four-star center from Dallas, will consider the Hoosiers along with Auburn, Rutgers, UCLA, Houston and Kansas. He hasn't set a date for his commitment. Adkins plans to visit each of his six final options, with Indiana up first Sept. 13, according to Peegs.com. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound Adkins is a top-40 player in his class by both 247Sports and On3 Sports. He's ranked as the No. 3 center by 247Sports and No. 5 power forward by On3 Sports. Adkins will play his senior season for Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Here's 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein's evaluation of Adkins ... "Adkins is one of the most naturally talented frontcourt prospects in the class of 2026," Finkelstein wrote, "and while his tools have been glaring for some time now, he's just starting to turn potential into production at a more consistent rate. A long and athletic southpaw, Adkins is every bit of his listed 6-foot-8 with a massive 7-foot-2 wingspan, and huge hands. "He's a bouncy vertical athlete and major lob threat who can rise-up for emphatic finishes. He also has soft natural touch and clear long-term shooting potential that should eventually allow him to stretch the floor both vertically and to the arc." Though Indiana has just one commitment in its 2026 recruiting class — four-star combo guard Prince-Alexander Moody — the Hoosiers have enjoyed a successful week with rising senior prospects. In addition to Adkins, the Hoosiers are finalists for five-star guard Taylen Kinney, five-star forward Anthony Thompson and four-star power forward Latrell Allmond.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
How Giants rookie QB, star WR bonded during intense pickup basketball game
New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is fiery. New York wide receiver Malik Nabers learned that during an intense pickup basketball game. During a Friday interview with Bleacher Report, Nabers revealed he and Dart "got into it" during a pickup game at Giants QB Russell Wilson's house this summer. The second-year WR said he got into the rookie passer's face, asking what he was "going to do?" He then showed the pass-catcher he wasn't going to back down. "I stepped right back to him, no hesitation at all," Dart said Sunday at training camp, via Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com and The Record. "I don't ever want to be in a position where I'm gonna lose, so [Malik] challenged me, I challenged him right back. If you're not going to give it you're all in everything you do, then you're probably gonna lose." In doing so, Dart earned the respect of Nabers. Asked his opinion of the 22-year-old QB, the one-time Pro Bowler said he's "a dog." Dart's confidence is one key reason he's making progress at training camp after a rocky start. The Ole Miss product threw a pick-six on his first pass of 11-on-11 drills on July 23. During his fourth practice on Sunday, however, he looked much sharper. According to Stapleton, he went 11-of-13 during team drills, despite rainy weather at the team's facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Dart isn't expected to be the team's QB1 this season. The Giants signed Wilson, a Super Bowl champion, to a one-year deal in free agency. Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed he's the starter at the start of camp. The Giants still want Dart to become the guy. New York traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to grab him with pick No. 25. It bodes well for New York that Dart is already improving. It's also good that Nabers — who led the team in receiving yards (1,204 in 15 games) last season— is gravitating toward him.
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