After Red-Blue weekend, top Arizona recruiting targets still weighing decisions

Arizona’s Red Blue Showcase gave Tucson fans a chance to see the Wildcats’ recruiting priorities up close, but the weekend did not produce commitments from the two most prominent visitors. Five star prospects Darius Wabbington and Adan Diggs attended Arizona’s recent event, yet both remain open to other programs and have additional visits planned. For a program trying to build its next recruiting class, the Showcase was an important opportunity, but not a final decision point.

Wabbington, a five star center from Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, has already visited Illinois and Indiana before coming to Tucson. His recruiting schedule also includes a planned trip to Texas in November. After visiting Arizona, he described the weekend as a positive experience to 247 Sports, while making clear that he is still gathering information before choosing a college.

The Wildcats have presented Wabbington with a specific role. Arizona coaches told him they want him to play the four position, rather than simply operate as a traditional center, and they emphasized that their power forwards receive significant opportunities in the offense. Wabbington said the staff wants to play through him and expects him to compete immediately, with the ball in his hands early in his college career.

That pitch could be particularly relevant to a player evaluating how quickly he can contribute. Wabbington was told he would have a chance to become a major offensive piece at Arizona, not merely fill a supporting role. His visit allowed him to see the program and its surroundings for himself, but his comments also suggested that he is still in the process of comparing what different schools can offer.

Diggs, a five star guard from Millennium High School in Goodyear, has an even broader list of possibilities. He has said he may visit as many as six additional schools. His announced schedule includes Arkansas on Oct. 10 and Kentucky on Oct. 22, while Duke, Kansas, North Carolina and Southern California have also been under consideration. With those visits still ahead, Arizona’s Showcase appearance was one stop in a much larger evaluation process.

The Wildcats also hosted four star center Kamsi Awaka, whose recruiting tour has moved at a rapid pace. Awaka visited UConn on Sept. 11, Florida on Sept. 14, Michigan State on Sept. 20 and Michigan on Sept. 22 before traveling to Tucson for the Red Blue event. He is the younger brother of former Arizona forward Tobe Awaka, giving the Wildcats a family connection as they pursue another frontcourt prospect. The report indicated that Kamsi Awaka could be closer to making a decision after completing the series of visits, although no commitment was reported.

The weekend also brought a separate recruiting development involving a player connected to Arizona’s recent past. Four star 2027 guard Jason Gardner Jr. committed to Auburn earlier in the week, choosing the Tigers over DePaul, Florida, Indiana and Stanford. He had also received secondary interest from Arizona. Gardner Jr., considered a leading candidate for Indiana’s Mr. Basketball award, said Auburn had long been his dream school and that he was relieved to have a place he could call home.

His decision carries added meaning for Arizona because his father, Jason Gardner, was a standout Wildcats guard from 1999 to 2003. The elder Gardner later returned to the program as player relations director, serving for five seasons under coach Tommy Lloyd beginning in 2021. Gardner Jr. announced his Auburn commitment with his father nearby, but the elder Gardner is not expected to return to Arizona this season. There has been no formal announcement, though he did not travel with the team for its exhibition trip to Lithuania and was not present at the Red Blue Showcase.

Arizona’s recruiting activity comes as the program prepares for a nationally visible season. The Wildcats will open Nov. 2 against UCLA at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the game scheduled for 8 p.m. Tucson time and available on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max. Arizona’s women will play Stanford earlier that day, at 11:30 a.m., in the same four game event. The men’s schedule also includes a game against St. John’s at 10 a.m. on Fox and a Dec. 19 matchup with Arkansas in Phoenix at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN. Those matchups, along with the exposure generated by the Red Blue Showcase, give Arizona several high profile settings in which to sell its program while Wabbington and Diggs continue weighing their options.