Top international prospect Dwayne Aristode commits to Arizona

Top international basketball prospect Dwayne Aristode, a top 20 recruit in the high school class of 2025, told ESPN that he has chosen Arizona.

“The winning culture that Tommy Lloyd has built at Arizona is remarkable,” Aristode said Sunday. “They play fast and have the right balance between structure and player freedom.”

Aristode chose the Wildcats over a list of other finalists that included Duke, USC, Michigan State and the NBL Next Stars program.

The 1.80 meter tall winger from the Netherlands is considered one of the most promising young players in Europe, having made his senior national team debut this summer at the age of 17 and putting in strong performances against Serbia and Belgium.

“Representing my country was a dream come true,” Aristode said. “The pace and physical condition were very different. I needed that experience playing against a three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic to see where my game is and where I want to go personally. I want to help the Netherlands become one of the best teams in the world in the future.

Aristode is entering his second season of high school basketball in the United States at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and played on the Nike EYBL grassroots circuit with Expressions Elite. He previously spent three years in Spain with Joventut Badalona.

“My experience in the US will help me because I had a lot of time to get used to the pace and style of play,” he said. “Playing EYBL for Todd Quarles and Expressions opened my eyes to the speed of the game and the aggressiveness it takes to play here. I will combine that in my game with what I learned growing up in Europe.”

Lloyd built a reputation as an international basketball recruiting expert as an assistant at Gonzaga, bringing in players such as Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Ronny Turiaf (France), Rui Hachimura (Japan), Kelly Olynyk (Canada) and Mario Kasun (Croatia). , among many others. Aristode will continue this pipeline in Arizona.

Arizona has another diverse roster this season with five international players: Motiejus Krivas (Lithuania), Anthony Dell'Orso (Australia), Henri Veesaar (Estonia), Conrad Martinez (Spain) and Emmanuel Stephen (Nigeria). They enter the season ranked No. 9 in the ESPN Top 25 rankings.

Aristode is the first player to commit to Arizona in the 2025 class. He brings defensive versatility with his chiseled frame and 6-foot-10 wingspan as well as dynamic 3-point shooting ability.