"So proud of my grandson": Former NBA champ Trevor Ariza's mother Lolita congratulates her grandson Tajh Ariza on his groundbreaking NIL deal

Tajh Ariza, the son of former NBA champion Trevor Ariza, made headlines on Tuesday with the announcement of his NIL deal with Nipsey Hussle’s brand, The Marathon Clothing. Following the announcement, Lolita Ariza, her grandmother, took to Instagram to celebrate the big achievement of her grandson.

She dropped an Instagram story featuring a compilation clip of Tajh Ariza on a scoring spree—one bucket after another. The clip was accompanied by a heartfelt message.

"So proud of my grandson."

Tajh Ariza, the 6-foot-8 forward from forward, disclosed details of the NIL deal on the "Youngins Podcast.” As part of the deal, the Marathon T-shirts will feature Tajh Ariza as well as some of his teammates. When Jordan Richard inquired about this, the young forward emphasized the selfless intent behind the collaboration:

“It was about at the start; it wasn’t really just for me, like, it wasn’t even for me. It was really just for my team and, you know, for the Westchester program. So that’s really all it meant, like, just making sure everybody is straight.” (11:16)

This team-driven nature of the deal aligns perfectly with Nipsey Hussle’s vision of community empowerment. The company has certainly found the perfect candidate for their first-ever NIL partnership. Amidst the applause for his NIL deals and his rising NIL value of $578K, as per On3, Tajh has also caught the eye of many scouts.

Which Division I Colleges Are Showing Interest In 5-Star Prospect Tajh Ariza

Tajh Ariza, the rising basketball phenom, has caught the attention of several Division I colleges. The No. 6 nationally ranked player in the 247Sports composite ranking has received over 11 offers. Interested programs include USC, UCLA, UNLV Rebels, Arizona State, Oregon Ducks, Arkansas Razorbacks, and more.

Currently a high school sophomore, the 16-year-old St. Bernard transferred to his father's alma mater, Westchester Senior. Although he has his father’s legacy to carry, Tajh wants to carve his own path.

“I gotta keep putting in work every day,” Tajh told Slam Online. “You know, my dad has a great career, but I want to have my own name and show people like, Oh, I want to be like him, you know? So I just gotta keep working so I can get there.”

At present, USC Trojans are ahead in the race with 17.4% chances as per On3 prediction machine. Second in the race is UCLA, with a 15.2% chance, while the UNLV Rebels and Arizona State are in third and fourth position with 13.0% and 10% chance, respectively.

Tajh Ariza is brimming with potential, and his standout performance at the Nike EYBL showcased his skills—averaging 13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. It will be a big win for the college that secures his commitment.