5-Star PF Koa Peat Commits to Arizona, Will Play with LeBron James' Son Bryce

Koa Peat is staying in state.

The 5-star power forward from Gilbert, Arizona, committed to the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Peat is considered the No. 8 player in the Class of 2025, the No. 4 power forward and the top player from the state of California, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

Peat joins a Wildcats recruiting class that also features Bryce James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

"It was a super hard decision," Peat told McAfee. "Me and my parents had really serious talks about it. But I just felt like Arizona was the right situation for me. Coach Tommy [Lloyd] is a great coach, they have great assistant coaches over there for my development and they're a winning program. So I'm just excited to come down and play in [McKale Memorial Center]."

Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports called Peat "one of the most consistently productive players in high school basketball over the course of his career" in his scouting report, describing him as a "constant double-double threat who has good hands, instincts, touch, and a very polished ability to get to his spots inside of 15-18 feet."

But he added that the "most common questions are about Peat's long-term potential. He was an early bloomer, being bigger and stronger than the competition at an early age, and thus has less untapped physical upside than other prospects. But what's undeniable is the long history of productivity and clear intangibles with his maturity, IQ and leadership ability."

Peat isn't built like a natural rim-protector and will likely be a power forward at the next level, though he still impacts the game defensively. His three-point shooting is not a strength, however, and improving in that area will be one of the keys for his development.

Adding him is a boon for the Wildcats, who also find themselves in the Sweet 16, with a matchup on Thursday against Duke looming. The Wildcats are major underdogs in that contest, but securing the commitment of Peat and pulling off the upset would make for one heck of a day in Tucson.