Latest news with #KoaPeat
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 NCAA men's basketball championship odds: 5 way-too-early title predictions
2026 NCAA men's basketball championship odds: 5 way-too-early title predictions Freshmen don't win championships. That was my stance before the 2025 NCAA tournament, and my position has only hardened since watching Duke flame out in the Final Four and the national championship be played between two veteran-laden teams. With that in mind, my favorite way-too-early picks to win the 2026 title aren't the teams winning on the recruiting trail and grabbing the top one-and-done prospects -- though that doesn't hurt. Rather, I like the teams that project to have a decent amount of returning players from rosters that won this year. Of course, this is almost impossible to gauge right now with players hopping in and out of the transfer portal and others trying to get a read on their NBA draft stock, but I gave it a good effort to come up with five teams I think have a good shot to win the 2026 national championship. First, let's take a look at odds for the early favorites at FanDuel. Now, for my favorite way-too-early picks: Arizona gave Duke its toughest game of the tournament prior to the Final Four, and though the Wildcats are losing leading scorer Caleb Love, three starters could be back for a team with an incoming class of players that includes two top-40 prospects -- one being five-star Koa Peat -- and LeBron James' youngest son, Bryce. 4. Michigan State (+3500) The Spartans are tied for the longest odds of any team on my list, but with Tom Izzo as coach, they might also have the highest floor; because if nothing else, we know they'll make the tournament. To help with that, they'll likely return a handful of players from this year's Elite Eight team, including Jaxon Kohler, who scored a team-high 17 points in their loss to Auburn. 3. Purdue (+1400) Only one player from Purdue's Sweet 16 roster this year was a senior, so there's a world where nearly the entire team is back in 2025-26. That includes four starters and Cousy award winner Braden Smith. How does BYU top its deepest tournament run in more than a decade? Bringing in the top recruit from the class of 2025, AJ Dybantsa, certainly helps. But the 6-9 forward is going to need some help, and he could have it with the potential return of leading scorer Richie Saunders and fellow starters Keba Keita and Mawot Mag, among others. 1. Houston (+1200) If Houston can keep a few or all of Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan, Joseph Tugler and Terrance Arceneaux to carry the tradition of toughness and deep tournament runs Kelvin Sampson has built, the Cougars will continue to be a national title contender. Especially with one of the best incoming recruiting classes, which already includes two five-star prospects and a third top-20 player.
Miami Herald
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Five-star F Koa Peat announces commitment to Arizona
Five-star forward Koa Peat committed to Arizona's 2025 recruiting class on Thursday. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound senior from Gilbert, Ariz., is ranked No. 8 nationally by the 247 Sports composite. "I chose Arizona, head coach Tommy Lloyd and his staff because I know I will be pushed," Peat told ESPN. "It's a winning program, and all I want to do is win." Peat, who made his announcement on "The Pat McAfee Show," chose the Wildcats over Arizona State, Baylor, Houston and Texas. He is the third top-50 commitment in Arizona's 2024 class, along with forward Dwayne Aristode and guard Bryce James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James. It is a big day for the Arizona program. The fourth-seeded Wildcats face No. 1 Duke on Thursday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Newark, N.J. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Reuters
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Five-star F Koa Peat announces commitment to Arizona
March 27 - Five-star forward Koa Peat committed to Arizona's 2025 recruiting class on Thursday. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound senior from Gilbert, Ariz., is ranked No. 8 nationally by the 247 Sports composite. "I chose Arizona, head coach Tommy Lloyd and his staff because I know I will be pushed," Peat told ESPN. "It's a winning program, and all I want to do is win." Peat, who made his announcement on "The Pat McAfee Show," chose the Wildcats over Arizona State, Baylor, Houston and Texas. He is the third top-50 commitment in Arizona's 2024 class, along with forward Dwayne Aristode and guard Bryce James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James. It is a big day for the Arizona program. The fourth-seeded Wildcats face No. 1 Duke on Thursday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Newark, N.J. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Social media reacts to 5-star basketball recruit Koa Peat choosing University of Arizona
The University of Arizona scored a huge recruiting win on Thursday when five-star Koa Peat announced he is going to be a Wildcat. It's a massive get for Tommy Lloyd and the program, which takes the court on Thursday against Duke in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Peat, who is ranked No. 6 in the USA TODAY High School Sports 25 in '25, is a 6-foot-8, 235-pound power forward from Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona. He made the announcement on the "Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN. As expected, the decision created a ton of buzz on social media. He will be joining Bryce James with the Wildcats. The connection between Peat's decision, which came on "The Pat McAfee Show" after LeBron James was on the program this week, was noticed. Peat has earned numerous Player of the Year honors in Arizona. He led the team to a 27-2 record and its fourth straight state title. Peat's stats show how he puts the power in power forward. Peat averaged 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game for Perry, which is ranked fourth in the USA Today Super 25. Overall, he was 107-14 in his prep career. More: USA TODAY High School Sports' best 2026 boys basketball players in each state This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Social media reactions: Koa Peat is headed to University of Arizona
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Perry basketball All-American Koa Peat announces college commitment to Arizona on ESPN
Gilbert Perry senior forward Koa Peat, one of the nation's most highly recruited high school players, will play college basketball at the University of Arizona. Peat made the long-awaited announcement Thursday morning on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN via a video link with his mom sitting behind him, thanking his teammates, Perry school officials and his coaches, among others. He made the announcement while unzipping a hoodie and unveiling an Arizona t-shirt. Advertisement "I just felt Arizona was the right situation for me. Coach Tommy (Lloyd) is a great coach, they have great assistant coaches there for my development and they're a winning program,'' he said. Arizona plays Duke tonight in the Sweet 16. Peat, a 6-foot-8 five-star recruit, chose the Wildcats over the other finalists Arizona State,Baylor, Houston and Texas. The senior had identified his five final college choices months ago but held off making a commitment announcement until Thursday. He averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds for the four-time state champions this season, playing his final two games with a fractured shooting hand earlier this month. Advertisement "He is a 6 foot 8 monster. Do we follow high school hoops that closely? No. But I will say, as soon as I was introduced to this guy's highlights and then his family lineage, it's like, this is a dog,'' McAfee said in the show's opening. A week after suffering the injury in practice, he had 16 points off the bench in an Open state semifinal 76-57 win over Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor. Starting in the state championship game, a 63-44 rout of Phoenix Sunnyslope, Peat had 20 points, making his only 3-point attempt, nine rebounds and two blocked shot. Peat recently won his third straight Gatorade Arizona Basketball Player of the Year honor, after leading the Pumas to a fourth straight state championship, third in a row in the 32-team Open Division. He won three gold medals playing for Team USA in summer international competition that last three years. Advertisement This season, he averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.6 blocks. He finished his four-year varsity career with 2,154 points. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Perry basketball All-American Koa Peat announces commitment to Arizona
