By SAM LANCE
The Pac 12 had the most head coaches out of any other Power Five conference at the UAA finals in Chicago from July 20-23. In total, seven of the conferences 12 schools were represented by its head coach on at least one of the tournament days.
So, let’s take a closer look at each program, who represented them and what prospects they were likely watching.
Arizona
Head coach Tommy Lloyd made it out to the UAA finals on Friday and was court side for all of the quarterfinal games. Specifically, he sat close for Team Thrill vs. Team Curry.
Friday was the only day Lloyd at the event, but assistant coach Steve Robinson was spotted every day. Being there for a number of days, Robinson was court side to see pretty much every team in the finals event play.
Out of the 16 top prospects I interviewed at the event, the lone person who said Arizona was recruiting him hardest was top-10 ranked class of 2024 center Derik Queen. The big man certainly showed off his skills with Arizona’s staff watching, averaging 13.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists to lead Team Thrill to a 17u UAA finals championship. It’s also worthy mentioning Queen plays a year up.
Arizona State
Head coach Bobby Hurley was seen at the event on Friday and was also court side for the quarterfinals games. Specifically, Hurley sat front row for Canada Elite vs. Philly Pride.
Canada Elite three-star point guard Vasean Allette was the only prospect I interviewed at the UAA finals that said Arizona State was recruiting him hard. Allette was arguably the best player on the court during the UAA finals and made ZAGSBLOG.com UAA finals First Team.
Arizona State has given offers out to three other players at the event, including three-star shooting guard Courtney Anderson, four-star power forward Carey Booth and four-star combo guard Silas Demary Jr. None of those players listed Arizona State as a team recruiting them hard.
The Sun Devils Director of Scouting & Player Development, Brandon Rosenthal, was also spotted at the UAA finals.
California
Head coach Mark Fox was another Pac 12 head coach to arrive to the party on Friday. Fox was spotted up front for West Coast Elite-Norcal vs. KC Run GMC in the first round of bracket play on Friday. He also watched several other games Friday.
Two players, Courtney Anderson of West-Coast Elite-Norcal, and four-star shooting guard Rodney Brown of West Coast Elite, named California as a school recruiting them hardest. Brown did not play during the UAA finals due to a wrist injury.
California’s other offers to players at the event are We R1 four-star guard Elmarko Jackson, Middlesex Magic four-star center JP Estrella and Carey Booth. None of those players named California as a school recruiting them hard.
California assistant coach Andrew Francis was also spotted during the event.
Colorado
Head coach Tad Boyle was at the event on Thursday and Friday. Specifically, Boyle was up front on Friday for the Houston Defenders vs. We R1 quarterfinal matchup and the West Coast Elite-Norcal vs. KC Run GMC game to kick off bracket play.
Four-star combo guard Jamari McDowell of the Houston Defenders and Courtney Anderson both named Colorado as schools recruiting them hardest. Boyle and staff were present at several of their games throughout the weekend.
Colorado currently has two young point guards in the program, so they are exploring more of wing type players. Associate head coach Mike Rohn was also at the event. I believe he was there every single day.
Oregon
Nobody from Oregon was seen at the UAA finals. The only player I interviewed to name Oregon as a school recruiting hardest is class of 2025 prospect Efeosa Oliogu. Of course, Oliogu has a long way to go in his recruitment. However, he did impress at the UAA finals, averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists while playing up two years.
The Ducks have only offered Oliogu out of the players at the UAA finals. Oregon was the only Pac 12 school without representation at the event.
Oregon State
Only one person from the Beaver’s staff was spotted at the UAA finals, and that was assistant coach Tim Shelton. I didn’t keep a great book on what games Shelton was watching, but he was at the event for its entirety.
There’s no record of Oregon State offering any of the players who were at the event.
Stanford
Associate head coach Brandon Dunson and assistant Jesse Pruitt were both spotted at the UAA finals. Dunson was spotted multiple days and Pruitt arrived on Friday.
Like Oregon State, there’s no record of any players at the event with a Stanford offer.
UCLA
The Bruins staff was one of the most active at the UAA finals. Head coach Mick Cronin was at the event for several days and specifically sat close when the Houston Defenders took on We R1 in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Three players, four-star combo guard Chris Johnson, Elmarko Jackson and class of 2024 top-10 prospect and shooting guard Vyctorius Miller named UCLA as a school recruiting them hard. The UCLA staff was present to see all three play.
No other players at the event hold UCLA offers. Joining Cronin at the event were associate head coach Darren Savino and assistant coach Rod Palmer. Palmer was at the event every day while Savino arrived Friday.
USC
Head coach Andy Enfield was spotted at the UAA finals on Thursday. He was specifically court side for both the West Coast Elite programs’ games. Thursday was the only day Enfield was seen.
Players who said USC are recruiting them hardest at the event included Rodney Brown and Vyctorius Miller. Enfield was present to watch Miller play, and as mentioned before, Brown did not play at the UAA finals
Silas Demary Jr. is the only other player at the event the Trojans have offered. Nobody else from the Trojans coaching staff was spotted.
Utah
Head coach Craig Smith and assistant coach Chris Burgess were both spotted at the UAA finals. I didn’t note which games they were watching. There was no record found of any players at the event with offers from Utah.
Washington
Head coach Mike Hopkins was the only person on staff that I saw at the UAA finals. My notes say he was there briefly on Friday, and on Saturday Hopkins was watching the semifinal game between the two West Coast Elite programs.
Unrated power forward Sultan Adewale of Team Rio is the only player that Washington has offered at the event. Adewale was a monster at the UAA finals, averaging 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds to give him ZAGSBLOG.com First Team honors.
Washington State
Head coach Kyle Smith was at the UAA finals multiple days. Out of the prospects I interviewed, none mentioned Washington State as schools recruiting them hard. Still, the Cougars have offered Vasean Allette, Rodney Brown and Jamari McDowell.
Ryan Beasley, an unranked point guard on West Coast Elite-Norcal, who averaged over 20 points in the tournament, reported an offer from Washington State on Saturday. Besides that, the Cougars don’t have offers out to any other players who were at the event.
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