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Official visit season is in full swing as programs across the country look to recruit and reload. This week, the Rivals.com team is taking a look at programs across the country and identifying their biggest need and which one recruit on their board is the best suited to fill that need.
Today, we continue by taking a look at the Pac-12.
ARIZONA
Biggest need: Arizona has become a program that always has talent up and down its roster, but the events of last September caused a brief setback in Sean Miller’s ability to reel in top talent. The Wildcats were able to keep Brandon Williams in the fold and added Justin Coleman as a graduate transfer for this year, but it would be wise for them to add another lead guard to replace Coleman after this season.
Best fit: Five-star point guard Nico Mannion is the obvious call here. He’s going to school at Pinnacle in Arizona and is a high-level playmaker. Plus, a commitment from Mannion could lead to a commitment from Josh Green, a five-star shooting guard and teammate of Mannion’s on West Coast Elite.
ARIZONA STATE
Biggest need: Bobby Hurley’s style is to play fast and score a lot of points, so adding players to his roster that can continue to help him build up that brand is essential. Adding a perimeter scorer to the fold would be ideal for the Sun Devils.
Best fit: Four-star point guard Jaelen House made an early commitment to Arizona State and should provide some scoring punch and also gives Hurley another capable lead guard.
CALIFORNIA
Biggest need: Cal could really use some help and some depth in the post. They are lacking in bodies and proven players that can play in the paint.
Best fit: Three-star big man D.J. Thorpe visited Cal this weekend for an official visit. It would be big for the Golden Bears to reel in the Texas native for next season.
COLORADO
Biggest need: McKinley Wright had a great freshman season for Colorado and will be somebody Tad Boyle can build around the next few years. Getting him sidekick in the backcourt to share some of the scoring load would be big.
Best fit: Four-star shooting guard James Bishop is one of the better scorers in the 2019 class, and has the Buffaloes in his top six. Wright and Bishop in the same backcourt would be fun to watch.
OREGON
Biggest need: Bol Bol shouldn’t be in Eugene for more than a year, so a replacement for him would be ideal for the Ducks.
Best fit: Aidan Igiehon just released a final four of Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon and St. John’s. He feels like a good fit to replace Bol Bol and help Francis Okoro, Miles Norris and Louis King patrol the paint.
OREGON STATE
Biggest need: Stephen Thompson Jr. and his ability to knock down shots will be gone after this season. Finding a shooter to replace him feels like a top priority for Wayne Tinkle and his staff.
Best fit: Good news for Beavers fans is their biggest need has already been filled. Jarrod Lucas is one of the better shooters on the west coast in the 2019 class and already picked Oregon State.
STANFORD
Biggest need: Stanford’s biggest need in the 2019 class is to get a point guard it can build around for the next few years.
Best fit: Jerod Haase and his staff locked in early on Tyrell Terry out of Minnesota and received an early commitment from the four-star point guard. He’ll do very well with all of the talent Stanford will have around him.
UCLA
Biggest need: UCLA’s roster is pretty well-balanced right now with talented players all over the roster. The biggest need is probably some perimeter scoring.
Best fit: Steve Alford and his staff secured three early commitments in the 2019 class, and two of those commitments, Grant Sherfield and Jaime Jaquez, should give the Bruins some scoring punch outside.
USC
Biggest need: USC has been recruiting as well as any school in America in the 2019 class with a really talented frontcourt already locked in. The cherry on top would be adding a quality guard to finish off the class.
Best fit: Boogie Ellis had a monster summer for the Oakland Soldiers and will be one of the bigger stock risers in our updated 2019 rankings. He just visited USC for an official visit, but has a few more lined up before he’ll make a final call. He would cap off a terrific class for the Trojans, one that could go down as the best in school history.
UTAH
Biggest need: The Utes will need to replace a double-digit scoring guard after this season with the graduation of Sedrick Barefield. Finding his heir feels like a top priority for Utah this recruiting season.
Best fit: Rylan Jones is on his way next year as he made an early commitment to the Utes. He’ll be more than capable of filling Barefield’s role as a scorer and playmaker.
WASHINGTON
Biggest need: Washington’s roster has pretty good talent across the aboard, so adding the best player available should be the priority.
Best fit: That last blurb was a setup to say it would be a huge deal if Mike Hopkins and his staff can find a way to keep Jaden McDaniels home for college. He has arguably the most upside of any player in the class, and it always stings to let those players get away.
WASHINGTON STATE
Biggest need: Much like Washington, Washington State needs to continue adding quality players to its roster. When senior big man Robert Franks graduates, though, he’s going to leave an awfully big space to fill.
Best fit: Antwan January hasn’t played a lot of high school basketball and he’s transferred around some. That might be just enough to keep some programs away and allow Washington State to move in and score a potential difference maker in the athletic and talented four-star center.