Lithuanian Motiejus Krivas, considered the top international basketball prospect in the Class of 2023, committed to Arizona.
The 7-foot-2 center is the latest international recruit to choose the Wildcats and coach Tommy Lloyd.
“Their desire to have me on the team stood out the most,” Krivas, 18, told ESPN on Tuesday. “I felt that they really want me, and I think their style of play suits me the best.”
The 256-pounder has a 7-foot-5 wingspan.
This past season, he won a championship in the NKL, the second division in Lithuania, with Zalgiris 2. He averaged 13.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 assists in 26 minutes per game. He was the tops in the league in rebounds and blocked shots.
He will join an Arizona squad that features international players Oumar Ballo, Pelle Larsson, Henri Veesaar and Filip Borovicanin.
“I like the fact that the team is full of international players,” Krivas told ESPN. “It will definitely make my transition on and off the court much faster. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after weighing the pros and cons, I concluded that going there was the best possible decision at the moment and for my career going forward.”
The Wildcats, 28-7 last season, were upset by Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in March.
–Field Level Media