:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69667615/1186650296.0.jpg)
Kim Aiken Jr. will be an Arizona Wildcat after all.
The Eastern Washington transfer committed to the UA on Monday, his second time pledging to the school this offseason.
Eastern Washington transfer Kim Aiken Jr. tells ESPN he’s committing to Arizona.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) August 2, 2021
Originally committed to the Wildcats in the spring, but opened things up following the coaching change. First-team All-Big Sky guard/forward, Defensive POY. 11.3 PPG, 8.4 RPG. @kimaikenjr
Aiken originally committed to Arizona in early April before reopening his recruitment when Arizona parted ways with former head coach Sean Miller later that month. Aiken then committed to Washington State on April 21 but that arrangement only lasted a few months, as he reopened his recruitment again on July 29 after being denied entrance to grad school.
Kim Aiken Jr. was denied admission into #WSU's graduate program for political science, I'm told. He had a 3.48 GPA at #EWU.
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2021
Cougars coach Kyle Smith says it was a "tough pill to swallow."
Aiken will have two years of eligibility at Arizona and should be able to play immediately due to the new one-time transfer rule.
A 6-foot-7 forward, Aiken adds much-needed frontcourt depth to the Wildcats, joining a group that also contains Azuolas Tubelis, Christian Koloko and Oumar Ballo.
The Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Aiken averaged 11.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game at EWU this past season. Known for his versatility, he shot 43.8 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3 and 81.7 percent from the free throw line.