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Report: 4-Star Arizona Recruit Terry Armstrong to Bypass College, Pursue Pros
June 19, 2019
On Wednesday, Arizona commit Terry Armstrong became the latest prep star to turn down college, as he'll reportedly head overseas or play in the G League as a professional next season.
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported the news, while Corey Evans of Rivals noted there may have been questions about his academic eligibility that led to this decision.
Armstrong joins R.J. Hampton, Kenyon Martin Jr. and LaMelo Ball as members of the 2019 class to choose pro basketball over playing in college. Ball, like Armstrong, had eligibility issues, while Hampton and Martin did not have questions about their standing with the NCAA.
The news runs contrary to Armstrong's previous comments. After speculation that he was decommitting from Arizona, Armstrong posted a tweet that said "I never left" to reaffirm his commitment to the Wildcats.
That tweet has since been deleted.
Armstrong is the nation's No. 60 overall recruit and the seventh-ranked shooting guard in the 2019 class, per 247Sports. Listed at 6'6" and 185 pounds, Armstrong went to Bella Vista Prep in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Arizona coach Sean Miller praised Armstrong's toughness in November:
"Terry brings a kind of toughness to our program that all of us would love to have as coaches. He also has great size for a wing and guard. It's not that he has one thing that he does well, it's the versatility I think that jumps off the page when you watch him. He's in a program right now (Bella Vista Prep in Scottsdale) that's playing against the best competition in America at the high school level. I'm anxious for him to have a great senior year. I think he'll be able to come in and affect our program right away."
Armstrong's decommitment is the latest blow for an Arizona program that remains embroiled in controversy. Miller was named in the pay-for-play FBI investigation, which saw former Arizona assistant Book Richardson sentenced to three months in prison.
As for Armstrong, he was not considered a one-and-done prospect type, so he'll have to impress on the pro level to get the attention of NBA scouts. His best bet may be the G League, which will keep him stateside and allow him to be in front of NBA front offices.