Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

How Tommy Lloyd, Arizona landed commitment from five-star SF Caleb Holt

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 10:10 PM ET

Caleb Holt is one of the top overall basketball recruits in the 2027 class, and he's decided that he's going to play college basketball with the Arizona Wildcats.

Holt, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound small forward from Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Prolific Prep), committed to Arizona on Tuesday.

Also in the running were Houston, Kentucky, Alabama, Providence and Arkansas.

Ultimately, though, head coach Tommy Lloyd's relationship with Holt proved to be the game-changer for the Wildcats.

Lloyd was Holt's coach last summer when both were part of the USA Basketball U19 team.

"He took me under his wing. He saw my potential," Holt told ESPN. "He put me in games and believed in me and instilled a lot of confidence in me. Under pressure in the quarterfinals against Canada, the game was close and he did not blink at all; he stayed the same throughout the game. That showed me a lot about him."

The moment Caleb Holt committed to Arizona

He is the No. 4 recruit in the @SCNext 100 Class of 2026. pic.twitter.com/9Ffght0hoB
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 10, 2026

Holt is the highest-ranked college hoops prospect to commit to Arizona since Deandre Ayton in 2017. He's also the highest-ranked recruit in the Lloyd era, which started in 2021.

The 247Sports Composite ranks Holt as the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 4 overall player in the 2026 class. ESPN ranks him as the No. 2 small forward.

Caleb Holt brings a ton to the table for Arizona Wildcats

Whether a guard or forward, though, Holt is going to bring a ton of talent on the wing for Arizona.

He's a three-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, and he averaged 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game last summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit.

Holt has a 6-foot-9 wingspan and can do a little bit of everything. He's a tough defender on the wing and a prolific scorer. He's deadly in transition but can also play half-court basketball.

5⭐️ Caleb Holt (No. 5 ESPN ) was getting busy for GAME ELITE helping his team win the 17u @3SSBCircuit championship in Rock Hill. ‍@iamcalebholt I @gameeliteatl pic.twitter.com/EUb46yx4C0
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) July 13, 2025

Ultimately, Arizona fans can be thankful for Lloyd's involvement with USA basketball, because it arguably won the Wildcats this commitment.

"He is a straightforward person, keeps things real with you and he does not sugarcoat anything," Holt said of Lloyd. "Whatever he believes, he stands by it. He is easygoing off the court and serious on the court. He is a blast and loves to have a good time off the court."

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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