Arizona basketball recruiting: 5-star guard Josh Christopher talks Wildcats offer and Nike Peach Jam

Sean Miller and Lorenzo Romar are the lead recruiters

Arizona basketball truly never stops.

The Arizona Wildcats recently offered Josh Christopher, a 2020 shooting guard inside ESPN’s Top 25. The Lakewood, Calif. native is listed at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds.

With Christopher entering into this sophomore year in high school, he’s in the early stages of the craziness that is college basketball recruiting.

Christopher said Arizona, California, UC Santa Barbara, Florida State, and USC are pursuing him the most. He also mentioned Tulane, Virginia, Liberty, and University of San Diego as programs that have expressed interest.

If Christopher continues to play at a high level, he’ll likely see more high major programs start enter into the fray and schools like Liberty and Tulane fall out of contention.

Christopher was a force at this month’s Nike Peach Jam tournament.

In three games for the U16 California Supreme, he averaged 24 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 37 percent from the floor. He also showed some range by making six of 19 three point attempts.

Christopher said he enjoyed the Nike Peach Jam and it “was definitely [what] I expected.”

“There was not one player that wasn't good,” he said.

“Considering I'm a top player in the country, regardless of me being in 2020 playing 2019, I just went out there and played my game. But when playing in Peach everything must be perfect. No mistakes, and no let ups because it may cause your team a game and yourself a scholarship.”

Christopher had high praise for Sean Miller, who was in attendance at Nike Peach Jam.

“To me, Sean Miller is at the top of the list as far as coaching prestige in the NCAA,” he said. “Every year he leads his guys deep in the tournament and what kind of player wouldn't want to be a part of that.”

He added, “[Miller] and Lorenzo Romar checked me out all during the week of Peach Jam and have been the ones connecting to me and my family.”

While he’s bounced back and forth between a timeline for commitment, Christopher is enjoying the recruiting process and plans to “ride the recruitment wave.”

Christopher considers himself to be a versatile offensive player.

“I'm capable of scoring in whatever way a coach needs me to,” Christopher said. “Post game, knocking down 3s, or getting to the basket then finishing and drawing fouls.”

He listed “on ball defense, focus, and consistency throughout the game” as the areas he wants to improve upon. Those, though, are three areas that should naturally improve as he matures and gets more high-level basketball under his belt.

With years to go, many things can change, but this a recruitment to keep in mind as the end of the decade draws near.

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You can follow Alec on Twitter: @UofAlec

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