BREAKING: 5-star AZ recruit commits to Sun Devils’ top rival. One of the most highly sought after recruits in the country played right in Arizona State’s backyard. High star forward key man was ranked eighth in the country and tops in the state, but on his long recruiting journey came to an end as he announced his commitment

One of the nation’s most coveted recruits was right in Arizona State’s backyard. Perry High’s standout forward, Koa Peat, ranked eighth nationally and first in Arizona, finally wrapped up his lengthy recruiting process on Thursday. He made his decision public on The Pat McAfee Show, announcing his commitment to the Arizona Wildcats.

Peat’s recruitment had been closely followed, with Arizona State remaining in contention until the very end. Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley made a strong push to land him, and ASU’s two other 2026 recruits had even expressed their desire to team up with Peat. Additionally, Peat had a family connection to the program—his brother, Keona, plays offensive line for ASU’s football team and even saw game action last season while Koa was visiting.

Despite these ties, Peat ultimately chose Arizona, a program with a stronger track record and still competing in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Arizona State just wrapped up its fourth losing season in five years and recently lost last year’s five-star commit, Joson Sanon, to the transfer portal.

This decision is a major setback for Hurley, whose job security seemed tied to his ability to retain key players—Sanon and fellow five-star freshman Jayden Quaintance—while adding Peat to form a powerhouse roster. Now, only one of those three remains at ASU, and more changes could still be on the way.