5-Star Recruit All but Confirmed to Partner Bryce James as He Drops Big College Announcement Update

While March Madness dominates the headlines, college basketball’s biggest powerhouses are already looking ahead—because the recruiting war is far from over. Most of ESPN’s top 10 prospects have locked in their futures, but two massive names are still up for grabs. No. 4 Nate Ament remains caught in a tug-of-war between Duke and Louisville, but all eyes are on the No. 9 prospect, whose decision has the potential to deliver a season to remember.

With Bryce James (No. 257 per 247Sports) already locked in at Arizona, the stakes just got higher. Could the No. 9 prospect, Koa Peat, join him and 5-star wing Dwayne Aristode and form a Wildcat powerhouse? Or will another program swoop in and change the narrative?

Peat’s announcement is set for tomorrow on The Pat McAfee Show, as revealed by ESPN’s Paul Biancardi on X. The Arizona native has a final list featuring Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, and Texas, but all signs point to one destination—the Wildcats. “Koa Peat is a highly competitive athlete and a winner,” Biancardi noted, highlighting his grit after leading Perry High School to a state championship with a broken hand.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd is all in on Peat, especially after losing Alijah Arenas to USC. Pairing Peat with Bryce James—who committed to Arizona on New Year’s Day—could give the Wildcats a future-shaping duo. Moreover, Peat has tasted some James magic.

Koa Peat tells ESPN that he will be making his college announcement tomorrow on @PatMcAfeeShow

His final list of schools at Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, and Texas .

Peat is a highly competitive athlete and a winner. He played through a broken hand to lead Perry…

— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) March 27, 2025

The 17-year-old once described the surreal experience of having LeBron coach him from the sidelines during an AAU game: “This is me shooting a free throw, and LeBron’s watching. That’s my goal. There’s actually a crazy story. I heard him coaching from the sideline. Like he was telling people what to do and like it was working.”

Peat has the numbers to back up the hype. Over the past three seasons, he’s transformed from a promising freshman (15 PPG, 6.1 RPG) to a dominant junior (20.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.4 APG), earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors and three gold medals with Team USA. His ability to deliver in clutch moments has solidified him as one of the country’s top prospects.

Recruiting insiders have Arizona as the overwhelming favorite (75.8% per On3 projections), and if Peat joins James and Aristode in Tucson, the Wildcats could be looking at a promising season; especially with the coach who has led the program to 4 consecutive tournament appearances and 3 Sweet 16s in his 4th year of assuming the role. But as Arizona fans know, recruiting victories are never guaranteed.

The One that got away: Arizona loses Alijah Arenas—Will Koa Peat and Bryce James be enough?

Despite their strong recruiting push, Arizona took a gut punch when Alijah Arenas—the son of Wildcats legend Gilbert Arenas—chose USC over his father’s alma mater.

A five-star shooting guard and the top-ranked player at his position in 2025, Arenas is putting up video game numbers this season (31.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG) and was a priority target for Tommy Lloyd.

Jason Gardner, Arenas’ former backcourt mate at Arizona and now an assistant coach, couldn’t seal the deal. Instead, it was USC head coach Eric Musselman, who once coached Gilbert Arenas with the Warriors, who won the battle. “Eric Musselman is my guy, and he is pushing hard,” Alijah told 247Sports in December.

For Arizona, this loss stings. But with Peat’s decision looming, the Wildcats have a shot at redemption. If he picks Arizona, it could be the start of something special in Tucson.

The post 5-Star Recruit All but Confirmed to Partner Bryce James as He Drops Big College Announcement Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.