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Adam Finkelstein 10y

Ray Smith commits to Arizona

Men's College Basketball, Arizona Wildcats

Coach Sean Miller landed the second commitment in his 2015 recruiting class on Saturday when ESPN 100 forward Ray Smith made a verbal commitment to the Wildcats.

While Arizona had long since been considered the favorite in Smith's recruitment, he was expected to play out the rest of the summer before choosing from the nine remaining schools on his list -- Arizona, Arizona State, California, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Texas, UCLA, and USC.

Those plans changed this weekend after Smith tore his ACL just two days into the evaluation period at the Adidas Unrivaled camp in Chicago, essentially ending his summer and very possibly his senior season.

While ACL injuries have become common enough that Smith is expected to make a full recovery, the injury is particularly concerning given how much his rangy game is based on his length and athleticism.

Currently the 26th overall ranked prospect in the ESPN 100, Smith is outstanding in transition, very active on both ends of the floor, and at his best slashing to the rim. He also fits Arizona's recent prototype as a combo-forward capable of playing either forward position and consequently allowing Miller versatility with the type of lineups he puts on the floor.

Smith joins fellow ESPN 100 guard Justin Simon, currently ranked 23rd overall, in Arizona's recruiting class. Simon is equally versatile in the backcourt as his combination of size and court vision gives him the potential to play multiple positions as well.

Arizona's 2015 class is expected to be a big one. Tyler Dorsey was previously pledged to the Wildcats before re-opening his recruitment last month and now the staff is focused on other scoring guards including Allonzo Trier and Isaiah Briscoe. They are also involved with some of the top post players in the country, most notably Ivan Rabb, the nation's No. 1-ranked prospect who plays for the same Oakland Soldiers team that previously sent Nick Johnson, Brandon Ashley, Aaron Gordon, and most recently Stanley Johnson to Tucson.

The Wildcats have had four straight top-10 recruiting classes under Miller but could be on the verge of delivering their best yet should those plans come to fruition.

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