Pharoah Compton, a consensus four-star recruit, gave a verbal commitment to the Aztecs today.

The six-foot-eight forward from Arbor View High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, chose SDSU over finalists UNLV, LSU, Iowa, and Tennessee.

“Pharaoh is great around the rim at both ends,” Arbor View High School head basketball coach Dustin Clayton told EVT. “Blocks a ton of shots with his length and quickness off the floor and finishes well in the paint. He has a high basketball IQ and is a great passer with great vision.”

The reason Compton is such a coveted prospect is evident on film. He plays with a ferocious but controlled manner that allows him to dominate inside.

His best Aztec comparison is Malcolm Thomas, but if he continues to add height and weight, he could grow to resemble Nathan Mensah.

“He is a great shot blocker defender and communicates well on the defensive end,” Clayton replied when asked how Compton would fit with SDSU’s culture. “He is in the gym at 5:30 am, six (or) seven days a week on top of regular practices and additional workouts and weight room, so he will fit in well.”

As with every player SDSU head coach Brian Dutcher brings into the program, Compton will be expected to contribute early. His recruiting resume suggests he will be up for the task.

When Compton steps onto the Mesa, the Aztecs will be losing Jaedon LeDee and Jay Pal to graduation. Both are projected to play significant minutes in the front court this upcoming season. Their absence will provide an opportunity for Compton.

The current transfer rules make looking ahead to the 2024-2025 Aztecs a challenging endeavor. Still, the team figures to be led from the wing with Micah Parrish, Reese Waters, Miles Byrd, Elijah Saunders, and possibly Lamont Butler as upperclassmen. With the attention those players will command, holes will be created that an athlete like Compton can thrive in.

Should the script play out that sees Saunders, Miles Heide, Demarshay Johnson, and Compton as high performers together, the Aztecs could have one of the deepest, most athletic frontcourts on the West Coast in the coming years. Particularly intriguing is the style of basketball SDSU will play if Heide and Compton suit up next to each other.

Both compete with hustle, energy, and competitiveness that will bring the Madhouse on the Mesa to its feet. Nothing sparks an appreciative standing ovation from Aztec Nation more than elite effort. Compton should be a fan favorite due to this quality alone.

“He is very vocal and a leader on the court,” Clayton said. “Off the court, he is more reserved, but a great young man that is about the team and not about him, even with all the attention he gets.”

Dutcher’s genius as a coach is building a team around the skills of what his players do best. Each season in his tenure, the Aztecs have improved and evolved as the year went on. They annually play their best basketball in March. Compton’s others-centered approach should allow Dutcher freedom to be at his creative best because every style of play will benefit from what Compton brings to the court.

Paul Garrison

My earliest sport’s memory involve tailgating at the Murph, running down the circular exit ramps, and seeing the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs play. As a second generation Aztec, I am passionate about all things SDSU. Other interests include raising my four children, being a great husband and teaching high school.