Blue-chip recruit Emmanuel Akot to join Arizona Wildcats early

Five-star prospect Emmanuel Akot announced Monday he will graduate from high school early and enroll at Arizona for the 2017-18 season.

His coach at Wasatch Academy in Utah, Curtis Condie, confirmed the decision of Akot, who originally committed to the Wildcats in March as a 2018 prospect.

"After much thought, my family and I have decided to join the 2017 class and become a member of the Arizona Basketball family next season," Akot wrote on Twitter.

Akot, a product of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is listed at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds but is expected to play a wing role off the bench for the Wildcats as a freshman. He also played backup point guard at Wasatch.

"He was our backup point, we posted him up and he worked a lot on his outside shot," Condie told the Arizona Daily Star. "He was more consistent about (his shot) and when he wants to be, he can be an outstanding defender."

Akot averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists during the two April live periods for Exum Elite Utah Prospects on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit. He shot 47.2 percent from 3-point range.

Arizona coach Sean Miller's 2017 recruiting class was already ranked in the top five nationally.

Akot's decision comes a day after freshman Rawle Alkins announced he was withdrawing from the 2017 NBA Draft and returning to Arizona for his sophomore season. Star guard Allonzo Trier announced last month he was returning for his junior year.