Bold Prediction Has Arizona Landing Elite 2026 Shooting Guard

Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats are trending for one of their top targets in the 2026 class.

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd celebrates after defeating the Oregon Ducks at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

As the national signing period for the 2026 college basketball recruiting class approaches in April, there will be a lot of noise surrounding some of the nation’s top prospects as they inch closer to making a decision. 

After landing four-star forward Cameron Holmes to kick off the 2026 cycle, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd and his staff have continued targeting several talented prospects, including a five-star shooting guard whom one analyst recently predicted would commit to the Wildcats.

Analyst Predicts Arizona to Land 5-Star Shooting Guard

Throughout the 2026 recruiting cycle, Arizona has been targeting Caleb Holt, a five-star shooting guard at Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Wildcats hosted him for an official visit in October, and in December, he named them one of his final five schools, along with Alabama, Houston, Kentucky, and Providence. 

Prolific Prep Crew guard Caleb Holt (2) shoots the ball during the first quarter of a City of Palms Classic Signature Series game against the CIA-Bella Vista Bears at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While all five of Holt’s finalists remain in the mix for him, over the past few weeks, Arizona and Alabama have reportedly pulled ahead as the top two schools in his recruitment.

With Holt expected to announce his commitment in the next few months, Rivals' Joe Tipton recently predicted that Arizona would come out on top in the battle for the five-star shooting guard, assigning his prediction a medium confidence level and naming Alabama as the Wildcats' biggest threat.

Apr 2, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; A general view of the Arizona Wildcats and Connecticut logos at the Alamodome prior to the national semifinals of the women's Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Tipton believes Arizona is currently in the driver’s seat for Holt, he noted that Alabama remains very much in contention for the Prolific Prep star and expects him to decide before the McDonald’s All-American game at the end of March.

• “For some time now, this has felt like a two-team race between Arizona and Alabama,” Tipton wrote about Holt’s recruitment. “Recently, I’ve heard more buzz around the Wildcats, rather than the Tide. But I’m not ready to rule out Nate Oats and Co. yet. I would expect a decision from Holt before the McDonald’s All-American game on March 31.”

Jan 31, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If Arizona ultimately lands Holt, he’d be a massive addition to the Wildcats’ 2026 class. Rivals’ industry rankings list him as the No. 4 overall player nationally and the No. 2 shooting guard.

While Tipton’s prediction doesn’t guarantee the Wildcats will win Holt’s recruitment, it does indicate that Lloyd and company have made significant progress with him over the past few months and are well-positioned to secure his commitment.

Time will tell whether Tipton’s prediction proves correct, but as of now, Arizona appears to be trending in the right direction for one of the top overall prospects in the 2026 class.

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