By ADAM ZAGORIA
Dwayne Aristode, the 6-foot-8 five-star small forward from Brewster (N.H.) Academy, has committed to Arizona.
He chose the Wildcats over Duke, Michigan State, USC and the Australian NBL.
“The winning culture Tommy Lloyd has built at Arizona is remarkable,” Aristode told ESPN. “They play fast and have the right balance between structure and giving players freedom.”
Aristode recently elaborated on the Arizona program and the success Tommy Lloyd has shown with international players. Lloyd had a hand in recruiting NBA talents Kelly Olynyk, Domantas Sabonis and Rui Hachimura while he was an assistant at Gonzaga. He’s carried that success to the head coaching job at Arizona, sending guys like Azuolas Tubelis and Bennedict Mathurin to the league.
“I think he has the ability to make a relationship with them and understand where they come from,” Aristode told ZAGSBLOG of Lloyd recruiting well internationally. “Its just different. It’s not a different mentality, but just a different way they see some certain things, in basketball and also in life. So I think him knowing that makes his relationship closer with European players. Knowing that when they come to the states, it’s like a different view of life. He knows that.”
Aristode has previously played with Joventut in Spain in Europe and his father also played basketball at Montana State and for The Ivory Coast men’s national basketball team.
“Dwayne is a tremendous perimeter defender and elite level athlete,” Brewster coach Jason Smith told ZAGSBLOG. “He’s demonstrated his ability to be a consistent threat from 3, as well. He will fit very well at Arizona with Coach Lloyd.”
Photo: @SLAM_HS
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram
And Like ZAGS on Facebook
