Former NBA champ Trevor Arijah's son Tajh Ariza receives an offer from Kentucky

By Aman Sharma

Modified Sep 13, 2024 15:02 GMT

Tajh Ariza, son of former NBA champion Trevor Ariza, has attracted the attention of top college basketball programs, with the University of Kentucky recently extending him an offer.

The 6-foot-8, 180-pound small forward from Westchester Senior High School in Los Angeles, California, is already recognized as one of the elite prospects in the class of 2026. On Wednesday, Ariza confirmed receiving the offer from coach Mark Pope's Wildcats and wrote on X:

"Thankful to receive an offer from University of Kentucky!!! Thank you coaches Jhart and Mark Pope for believing in my ability!!"

His father, Trevor Ariza, was a key player on the Los Angeles Lakers' 2009 NBA championship team, playing alongside stars like Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Before his NBA success, Trevor was named California’s Mr. Basketball in high school. He played one season with the UCLA Bruins.

Initially, Tajh played for St. Bernard High School before transferring to Westchester Senior, his father’s alma mater, in spring. Currently, he is ranked as the sixth-best player in the Class of 2026 and the second-highest-rated small forward, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

While Tajh acknowledges his father’s illustrious career, he remains determined to create his own legacy.

“I gotta keep putting in work every day,” Tajh told Slam Online. “You know, my dad [had a] great career, but I want to have my own name and show people like, Oh, I want to be like him, you know? So I just gotta keep working so I can get there.”

Trevor has always believed in his son's decision and ability to choose a path.

“My idea for him was always right before he got to high school, if he was serious about it, I would give him all the tools that I use or the things that I learned to help him,” Trevor said. "So I would say when he got serious—about wanting to get better or actually work at basketball—was going into the ninth grade.”

Tajh Ariza’s strong Nike EYBL season earns him a spot among Kentucky’s 2026 recruits

Tajh Ariza has garnered offers from top programs, including Kentucky, Arizona State, Arkansas, Kansas, UCLA, UNLV, USC and Washington. Ariza has already made a name for himself, becoming just the seventh player in the 2026 class to receive an offer from Kentucky.

Wildcats coach Mark Pope is expanding the program’s recruiting reach in California, helped by the hiring of Jason Hart, a former USC assistant. Adam Finkelstein, 247Sports director of scouting, praised Tajh’s performance at the USA Basketball U17 trials in June, writing:

"In the class of 2026, Tajh Ariza has been a notable standout thus far. The jumbo wing is showing off big-time athleticism in the open floor, been flying at the glass as a perimeter rebounder, and providing a consistent shooting threat from beyond the arc."

Tajh Ariza averaged 5.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game with Team Why Not on the Nike EYBL 17U circuit. He joins Brandon McCoy, Tyran Stokes and others as early Kentucky offer recipients in the 2026 class.