One of the biggest stories of the off-season became official this week as Arizona’s top-rated 2029 prospect, Isaiah Rider, announced on social media that he is transferring from Higley High School and leaving the state of Arizona to attend Wellington Sports Academy in Florida. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound rising sophomore guard is widely regarded as the top overall prospect in Arizona’s 2029 class, and one of the premier young guards in the country. While the announcement sent shockwaves throughout Arizona’s basketball community, it does not come as a complete surprise, as Higley has experienced a mass exodus of talent following significant coaching changes within the program.
Former Higley Head Coach Kenny Drake resigned from the program this spring, after helping build one of the state’s most talented young rosters and elite programs. The school then hired former Division-I coach David Grace as its new head coach, but before coaching a single game for Higley, Grace accepted the head coaching position at Florida Southwestern State College (FL). Higley has since turned to one of Arizona’s most respected coaches, Luke DallaRiva, who will take over the program after previously leading Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep to an Open Division Final Four appearance just two seasons ago.
Rider now joins a growing list of Higley standouts who have elected to continue their careers elsewhere, marking one of the most significant roster changes in recent Arizona high school basketball history.
The son of former longtime NBA standout Isaiah Rider, the younger Rider has long been considered one of the next great young basketball prospects to emerge from Arizona. As a mere freshman last season, Rider averaged 10.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game, displaying a complete all-around game while competing against older competition.
Rider’s game is well beyond his years. He is a superb ball handler who displays outstanding court awareness and basketball IQ. He possesses a smooth shooting stroke with deep range and is equally effective creating his own shot off the dribble, or knocking down perimeter jumpers in catch-and-shoot situations. His advanced skill set allows him to consistently create opportunities for both himself and his teammates, showing the poise, vision, and decision-making that very few players his age possess.
Despite still being very early in his high school career as a member of the 2029 class, Rider has already established himself as one of the nation’s premier young prospects. His maturity, feel for the game, and offensive versatility make him one of the most exciting young guard prospects in the country.
His college recruitment has already taken off with high-major scholarship offers from such schools as Syracuse, Arizona State, Georgia Tech and Utah, and that list is expected to grow substantially. Rider’s recruiting stock should continue to skyrocket as additional Division-I programs position themselves to become involved in what is expected to be one of the nation’s premier recruiting battles over the next several years.
While Arizona basketball loses one of its brightest young stars, Rider now heads to Florida with an opportunity to continue his development on the national stage. I look forward to following his continued growth and bringing you future updates as his recruitment continues to unfold.
