The college basketball recruiting class of 2012 is absolutely loaded and the Arizona Wildcats are right in the thick of things with some of the nation's elite prospects. This page will remain updated with the commitments Arizona receives for 2012, as well as any other commitments Sean Miller and his staff bring in for 2013 and beyond. It will also update with any breaking news stories or notable unofficial or official visits made to UA.
2012:
Committed:
Grant Jerrett - 6'10, 220 - Lutheran High School (La Verne, CA) - Highlights #1, Highlights #2 - 11/27/2010
Summary:
While not an athletic freak on the court, Grant Jerrett uses his size and fundamental approach to the game to dominate the opposition. Originally a raw, scrawny, high school prospect, Jerrett has gotten noticeably stronger and taller as his high school and AAU careers have progressed. He finishes around the rim with both a soft touch on the glass as well as elevating to the rim to throw one down. Rebounding is solid, though it could be improved.
Top-Targets:
1. Brandon Ashley - 6'9, 220 - Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV) - Highlights
Ashley remains Sean Miller's top-priority in 2012 and a very reliable source (PointGuardU.com) has said there's a very good chance Brandon becomes a Wildcat. He's a physical freak on the court and has an improving jump shot and back-to-the-basket game. He and Jerrett are the two best power forwards on the west coast. The kid is a special player.
2. Shabazz Muhammad - 6'6, 215 - Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) - Highlights
Shabazz is wanted by just about every college program in the country and both he and Sean Miller know this. UCLA has had a big lead in Muhammad's recruitment for quite some time now and it's tough to imagine Arizona making up enough ground to land (arguably) the best player in a loaded 2012 class.
3. Mitch McGary - 6'10, 250 - Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH) - Highlights
McGary had a breakout junior season and might just be the hottest prospect in the nation right now. The lefty gets up and down the floor at a remarkable rate for a player of his size and is wanted by just about every Big East school in the conference. Arizona has made up a lot of ground and McGary has said location won't be a factor. His recruitment has been pretty quiet and played close to the vest, but if Sean Miller can get him on campus, most believe it would indicate Arizona is the frontrunner for McGary. Getting him on campus will be a challenge, though.
4. Robert Upshaw - 6'11, 240 - San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, CA) - Highlights
Upshaw, who might be one of the more prolific dunking big men in recent history, has been blowing up in recent weeks and had a coming out party in the NBA 100 Camp. A true back-to-the-basket big man, Upshaw uses his physical strength to out-power the opposition. UCLA has an early lead and just about everyone west of the MIssissippi River is recruiting him, but Arizona has been making up ground in recent weeks.
5. Kaleb Tarczewski - 7'0, 225 - St. Mark's High School (Southborough, MA) - Highlights
Tarczewski, who is widely-regarded as one of the two best centers in the nation, recently made an unofficial visit to Arizona. While Kansas currently leads in his recruitment, the fact that he and his entire family traveled 2,500 miles to pay UA an unofficial visit tells a lot about the kid and our chances with him.
6. Gabe York - 6'3, 175 - Lutheran (Orange, CA) - Highlights
There are some players born to score and Gabe York is one of those players. A combo-guard, York scores at will on the court and gets excellent elevation on his jumper. Defense is a concern, but that should improve at the next level. Arizona was recently listed in his list of top-4 schools along with Louisville, Marquette and Washington.
7. Katin Reinhardt - 6'5, 185 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) - Highlights
Reinhardt is somewhat of a late bloomer, but Arizona has been in on his recruitment for a while now and are pushing to get Katin on campus for a visit. Despite having the size of a 2-guard, Reinhardt is a phenomenal passer and has great vision on the court. His jump shot and defense could use improving, but he's still a promising prospect.
8. Rosco Allen - 6'8, 205 - Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) - Highlights
Rosco Allen's recruitment has been an interesting one. Towards the beginning of the 2012 recruiting period, Sean Miller and Arizona were going all-out for the talented forward. Since then, they have kind of backed off for various reasons before putting the full court press on once again. There's some damage to repair and lost time to make up for, but the Allen family has shown interest in Arizona before and we can only hope the relationship is repaired.
2012 Outlook - UPDATED 6/30/11
Arizona will take at least three players from the 2012 class. Grant Jerrett is already committed so that leaves room for two, and a third could be added depending on what transpires in the coming months. Assuming Brandon Ashley commits, UA will be looking to add a guard -- presumably York or Reinhardt; likely whoever wants to commit first -- and then potentially a third big man in McGary, Tarczewski or Upshaw should they want to commit as well. Sean Miller is bringing on as much talent as he can and he wouldn't turn down a top-ranked big man because of a potential roster conflict. Everything works itself out over time.