Arizona Marvelous Ideas: Arizona still in mix for 5-star forward Ziaire Williams

Chipotle Clash Of Champions - Sierra Canyon v Minnehana Academy

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Is the 2020 super-prospect down to five schools? Depends who you ask.

If the Arizona Wildcats don’t land Ziaire Williams, one of their Pac-12 counterparts probably win.

Arizona, USC, UCLA, Oregon and North Carolina are the five-star prospect’s top schools right now, according to a report from Stadium’s Jeff Goodman and ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.

Ziaire Williams (ESPN, No. 5) told me (and @jeffborzello, but he doesn’t really count) that his five schools right now are USC, UCLA, UNC, Oregon and Arizona.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 20, 2020

The 6-foot-7 Williams is the No. 5 player in the 2020 class and No. 1 small forward, according to 247Sports composite rankings. He attends Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California, the same school UA freshman Christian Koloko attended for a year.

That said, Williams told ZagsBlog.com that his top seven remains the same, meaning Stanford and Duke are in consideration as well. There is no timetable for his decision.

Williams has officially visited Arizona, USC, and North Carolina.

“I’m just waiting for that feeling and that instinct,” he told ZagsBlog. “Just waiting for that one school to come in my gut and just rock with them.”

Williams is an important target for Arizona. He is one of just two uncommitted five-star prospects still considering the Wildcats. The other is combo guard Jalen Green, the No. 3 overall prospect who doesn’t seem to be strongly considering the UA. He has exhausted his five official visits already, and Arizona was not one of them.

UA’s 2020 class currently consists of four-star wings Dalen Terry and Ben Mathurin. The latter just committed to the UA last week. Together, they comprise the No. 33 class in the country and No. 3 class in the Pac-12, per 247Sports composite rankings.

If Arizona lands Williams, it would have the No. 7 class in the country. That does not include Georgetown transfer James Akinjo, who joined the Wildcats last week and is already making an impact as a member of the scout team.

“Significant physical upside with plenty of room to gain strength,” reads Williams’ 247Sports scouting report. “Athletic wing with good size and decent length. Easily should be able to play both big three and small-ball four at college level. Smooth stroke with ability to hit threes off the catch and pull. More of a one- and two-dribble pull-up shooter than slasher, but has quick first step and good touch around basket. Has multi-positional defensive upside. Adding strength and improving ball skills/aggressiveness will take game to the next level. Easy high major talent with significant NBA upside.”