Arizona scored a huge commitment on Wednesday from one of the biggest names in the 2024 cycle as five-star small forward Carter Bryant from Sage Hill School in Newport Coast, California, announced on 247Sports' YouTube page that he has committed to the Wildcats. Bryant chose Arizona over a final group that also included Louisville after picking up nearly two dozen offers from programs across the country.
Bryant's commitment propelled Arizona from No. 9 in the 247Sports team rankings for the 2024 class to No. 4 behind only North Carolina, Baylor and Iowa State.
"I felt like it was the best program for me from the aspect of the person I am as a student-athlete," he said. "I felt it fit me the most on and off the court."
Bryant is ranked as the No. 4 player in the 2024 class and the No. 1 player at his position and in the state of California. At 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, he brings size and versatility to Arizona in a system that under Tommy Lloyd has thrived with finding players of his archetype and putting them in position to succeed.
Arizona made Bryant an early priority under coach Tommy Lloyd with an offer out to him in the summer of 2022, when at the time he was ranked outside the top 20 of the recruiting rankings in his class. Bryant's star brightened over the last year as he rose to a top-10 talent by last fall and into the top-five this summer.
An official visit to Arizona's campus earlier this spring appeared to seal the deal for Bryant after he made several other trips on an official basis. He visited Louisville and Gonzaga, as well, but the relationship he forged with Lloyd and the love he felt from fans and players when he visited, he said, ultimately helped make his decision to play for the Wildcats.
"The pedigree of the coaching staff [was big]," he said. "The coaching staff has coached at multiple levels. The players they've had in the past, I know their development is some of the best in the country. When I get there, I know I'm going to get better."