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With a loaded roster including Tajh Ariza, Christian Collins and Kaiden Bailey, Team Why Not had a memorable weekend at Mesa, Arizona. In the Nike EYBL Session 1, the team won all three matchups, including a narrow 71-68 victory over MoKan on Saturday.
Ariza led the rally against MoKan with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Bailey contributed 12 points, two rebounds and three assists. Meanwhile, Collins scored six points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
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Team Why Not started the session on Friday with another narrow victory against NY Lightning. Collins led with 28 points, converting 8-12 field goal attempts while grabbing eight rebounds. Bailey scored 15 points, with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
However, a comfortable 86-64 over The Family sealed the first session of this year's Nike EYBL season for Team Why Not. Their next outing will be at Memphis, Tennessee, from May 16-18.
Tajh Ariza and Christian Collins' chemistry on the court at the Nike EYBL is both a flashback and a foreshadowing. The two were teammates at St. Bernard before taking divergent courses, with Ariza attending his father's alma mater, Westchester High. Collins, on the other hand, has transferred to St. John Bosco, where Ariza will join him ahead of the upcoming season.
Ariza transferred to St. John Bosco after an impactful season that saw him lead the Comets to the City Section Open Division championship. His dad, Trevor, also won the City title with Westchester during his time there. However, Ariza added an extra feather to his cap, getting named the City Section co-player of the year.
Tajh Ariza’s college recruitment so far
The next stage of following in his dad's footsteps for Tajh Ariza would be playing college basketball. A five-star prospect, he has offers from the nation's top programs, including USC, Alabama, UCLA, California State, Oregon and Kansas.
According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Trojans are leading the race to sign Ariza, with a 56.4% likelihood. However, his father's alma mater, UCLA, is also in the mix and the bond of legacy can't be written off easily.
However, the decision comes down to Ariza himself and he has a list of factors to consider. He told On3:
“Really, I’m looking for a welcoming environment. I’m also looking for coaches that are going to hold me accountable and develop me.”
Tajh Ariza is the No. 8 overall prospect in the 2026 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
