Report: Elite SF Tajh Ariza no longer at St. John Bosco (Calif.), transferring to Link Academy (Mo.)

Tajh Ariza, one of the top high school basketball prospects in the 2026 cycle, is reportedly making another move for the final season of his prep career.

Back in April, the son of 18-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza transferred from Westchester Senior to St. John Bosco, a national power and dominant force in California. The high school hoops season is right around the corner, but Ariza will no longer suit up for the Braves in a couple of weeks.

Jack Pollon first reported on Friday afternoon that Ariza, who committed to Oregon earlier this month, has left St. John Bosco and is now expected to transfer to Link Academy (Mo.), another notable prep basketball program. The Lions will boast one of the best rosters in the nation this season.

The 6-foot-9, 200-pounder just led Westchester, his father’s alma mater, to a 24-win season and a Los Angeles City Section title. Ariza also previously played for St. Bernard in Playa Del Ray, Calif.

Link Academy is now set to be stop No. 5 for the elite four-star prospect. Ariza is the No. 17 overall recruit and No. 7 small forward in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

With Ariza in the fold, Link Academy will be an even tougher out this season. He’ll join eight other ranked prospects in the senior and junior cycles, including four-star center Ethan Taylor (No. 25 NATL. in 2026), four-star point guard Davion Thompson (No. 23 NATL. in 2027), four-star SF Luca Foster (No. 37 in ’26) and Michigan State four-star PG commit Carlos Medlock Jr. (No. 76 in ’26).

The Lions finished as the No. 16 team in the nation last season, according to the Massey Ratings. Before the addition of Ariza, they checked in as the No. 11 team in the initial Massey Ratings for this coming season.

Ariza committed to Oregon on Oct. 3, choosing the Ducks over USC, among others. It’s a massive win for head coach Dana Altman and the staff in Eugene.

“Oregon is a winning program,” Ariza previously told Rivals. “Coach Altman has stacked 20+ win seasons every year he’s been there. Coach Stubbs has been recruiting me for years- and cares for me not just as a player but as a person. They’ve shown they believe in me no matter what, and in this NIL era that’s everything—you want a staff that sees your role and impact from day one.”

Scouting Ariza

Rivals’ Jamie Shaw evaluated Ariza at the Tarkanian Classic last winter. 

Tajh Ariza does a lot of things that translate at the highest levels, and that is a lot of the appeal with him. Ariza is a fluid athlete, with his ability to change direction and explode into the play. He is someone who can dribble, shoot, or pass to create an advantage in the half-court. Ariza will need to continue getting stronger, which will help him finish as he gets downhill into the paint, and he will need to continue tightening up his jump shot, especially off movement. The upside is high with Ariza…Continue watching the growth. He finished with a game-high 31 points and 11 rebounds going 11-20 from the field.

Shaw also evaluated Ariza at the John Wall Holiday Invitational.

The son of former NBA champion Trevor Ariza played well, ultimately leading his Los Angeles (CA) Westchester team to a win. The 6-foot-8 Ariza struggled at times to put the ball in the basket, but he finished with a 13 and 13 double-double. Continuing to find ways to positively affect the game, there is still a lot of upside to grow into with Ariza.