The Bruins are officially going after the son of 18-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza, who got his start in Westwood.
Another prospect has been added to the Bruins’ recruiting board, and this one has deep ties to Westwood.
Class of 2026 small forward Tajh Ariza – the son of former Bruin and NBA veteran Trevor Ariza – has received an offer from UCLA men’s basketball, the St. Bernard (CA) product announced Friday morning on Twitter. Tajh Ariza attended Thursday night’s contest against Washington with his father, and it was mere hours before he went public with his offer.
Washington and USC were the first two programs to offer the younger Ariza, with both of those programs advancing to that stage in December.
The 6-foot-6 wing isn’t even done with his first year of high school basketball, and he is already receiving attention from high-major programs. UCLA was one of many schools at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas in December, sending assistants to watch Ariza and others play.
St. Bernard coach Tony Bland recently spoke to 247Sports’ Eric Bossi about Ariza and his skills on the court.
“I’ve coached a lot of good players, but Tajh is a special talent,” Bland said. “His ability to make plays on both ends of the court at such a young age is rare. Doesn’t have too many bad games because he affects the game in so many ways. His dad was a 19-year NBA vet and with all due respect to Trevor, Tajh has the ability to take that family legacy to another level.”
Trevor Ariza was a five-star prospect and top-25 recruit in the country before he came to UCLA in 2003. After spending one year with the Bruins, he started an NBA career that lasted nearly two decades and only came to an end last season.
Tajh Ariza has a 247Sports recruiting profile, but since he is still a freshman, there are no ratings or rankings attached to the Playa Del Rey, California, native just yet.
Guard Jason Crowe Jr. is the only other class of 2026 prospect that UCLA has offered so far. The Bruins have stayed in California for both of their early offers.
Bruin bloodlines have been a theme in Westwood in the past. Brothers Jrue and Aaron Holiday played for UCLA from 2008-2009 and 2015-2018 respectively,
The father-son duo of Marques Johnson and Kris Johnson are the only parent and child to win men’s basketball national championships at the same school, securing their NCAA titles in 1975 and 1995.
However, former Bruins have seen their children play elsewhere. Charles O’Bannon’s son Chuck O’Bannon started his collegiate career at USC before transferring to TCU.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF TAJH ARIZA/INSTAGRAM
