Wildcats commit Dylan Anderson named Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year

The Arizona Wildcats are expected to have a strong international recruiting presence under new head coach Tommy Lloyd, but they also have the best in-state player in the fold, too.

2022 commit Dylan Anderson was named the 2021 Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year on Friday. The 7-footer averaged 17.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game at Gilbert’s Perry High School, leading them to the the Class 6A quarterfinals. 247Sports ranks him Anderson as the No. 47 player in the country and No. 2 player in Arizona.

The Gatorade Player of the Award recognizes “not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.”

Anderson has volunteered at a rotary club and for youth sports programs. He also has a 3.60 GPA.

Per ESPN’s Paul Biancardi, “Dylan Anderson is a skilled big man who is highly effective around the rim. He’s a hybrid post who can make the 3-point shot or drive on his man from the high post. Defensively, he displays mobility to hedge or switch ball screens. Expect him to be a centerpiece in Tommy Lloyd’s program at Arizona.”

Anderson’s father told 247Sports why his son chose the Wildcats.

“Coach (TJ) Benson has been recruiting Dylan since he was at GCU so it’s been a long term relationship,” Rob Anderson said. “Coach Lloyd has also come to multiple games of Dylan’s when he was a sophomore, really building that relationship early. He had an offer from Arizona in the 8th grade and he was really impressed with their facilities, campus, and history of basketball at Arizona. When Tommy Lloyd got the position, it really checked all the boxes for Dylan.”

Anderson is Arizona’s only 2022 commit so far. He pledged to the Wildcats on April 16, a day after Lloyd was introduced as the new UA head coach.

Three of the last four Arizona Gatorade Players of the Year signed with Arizona, the other two being Nico Mannion and Alex Barcello.