Miami Hurricanes Men's Basketball Player Preview: Isaiah Johnson-Arigu
While Jalil Beatha gets most of the attention as one of the most exciting freshmen the Hurricanes have ever seen, Isaiah Johnson-Arigu is not far behind him as one of the best forwards coming out of the same class.
The Minnesota native was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was the third-ranked recruit in Minnesota. He averaged 20.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in 2023-24 while helping Totino-Grace to its third straight Class 3A state title as a senior.
Another potential gem for head coach Jim Larranaga as one of the best attributes from Johnson-Arigu is his defensive potential. His instincts when it comes to getting into passing lanes and causing deflections alongside his lateral quickness allow him to stay in front of opponents. Everything that the coach loves and key things that will allow him to get minutes during his freshman season.
At 6-foot-7-inches, he has all the abilities of a combo guard and his size allows him to be a physical defender. He is a great project for Coach Larranaga to work with. He also can score from anywhere on the floor. He has great footwork when scoring in the post and can catch and shoot the ball at a high efficiency.
