EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCaleb Holt, the No. 4 college basketball prospect in the 2026 SC Next 100, has committed to Arizona, becoming Tommy Lloyd's highest-ranked recruit since taking over in Tucson.Holt, who announced his decision Tuesday on ESPN's "First Take," chose the Wildcats after also taking trips to Houston, Kentucky, Alabama, Providence and Arkansas back in the fall.Lloyd coached Holt last summer with the USA Basketball U19 team, and the two developed a strong relationship."He took me under his wing. He saw my potential," Holt told ESPN. "He put me in games and believed in me and instilled a lot of confidence in me. Under pressure in the quarterfinals against Canada, the game was close and he did not blink at all; he stayed the same throughout the game. That showed me a lot about him."The two began to form a bond last summer and it continued throughout the fall and winter recruitment, including on Holt's official visit to Arizona in early October."He is a straightforward person, keeps things real with you and he does not sugarcoat anything," Holt said. "Whatever he believes, he stands by it. He is easygoing off the court and serious on the court. He is a blast and loves to have a good time off the court."A 6-foot-5 guard from Georgia who plays at Prolific Prep (Florida), Holt becomes the highest-ranked prospect to commit to Arizona since Deandre Ayton in 2017. He is the fourth five-star prospect to commit to Arizona under Lloyd, following the signings of Koa Peat and Brayden Burries last year.Holt has won three gold medals with USA Basketball: the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in 2023; the FIBA U17 World Cup in 2024; and last summer's FIBA U19 Men's World Cup. He averaged double figures in scoring in each of the last two FIBA events.He was also arguably the best player on the Adidas 3SSB circuit last summer, averaging 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals for the Game Elite program, and was named MVP of the Adidas Eurocamp in Italy over the summer, where he showed significant improvement on his 3-point shot.Holt is one of the best two-way players and winners in the 2026 class. He has established himself as an energy defender who makes dynamic finishes with his strength, power and speed. Over the course of time, his ballhandling and shooting has taken a big step, and he shows impressive court vision and basketball IQ when reading ball screens or playing off the ball. He thrives in transition but can score off the dribble or with his jumper.He is also a high-level defender and an on-ball disruptor with a 6-9 wingspan, and he has drawn comparisons to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace at the same stage.Holt is the second commitment for Arizona in the 2026 class, joining in-state prospect Cameron Holmes, who is No. 50 in the SC Next rankings.Lloyd will likely have to replace at least five or six players from the No. 2-ranked Wildcats' eight-man rotation, with Burries, Peat and Motiejus Krivas all ranked in the top 30 of ESPN's most recent NBA draft Big Board.Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley and reserves Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso are all seniors.
