Arop Arop ’23 is a sophomore at Columbia University, where he plays forward for the men’s basketball team. Arop took a PG year at Hotchkiss after committing to Columbia and played on Boys Varsity Basketball.
Arop comes from Dallas, Texas. His journey with basketball started at the age of three. “My parents told me I was always dribbling around the house and playing on mini hoops,” said Arop. “They said I had a clear passion for basketball.”
In second grade, Arop started playing for his church team. In fifth grade, he joined a more competitive AAU travel team.
Arop went to Chisholm Trail high school in Fort Worth, Texas and competed on their varsity team. “We were a 6A school, which is the biggest classification in Texas high school basketball, so making the playoffs was hard. We were able to make it two out of my four years and win some games. We also won a district championship and broke some records, which was really fun,” said Arop.
Arop decided to complete a PG year at Hotchkiss before matriculating at Columbia. “One of the most important things I learned at Hotchkiss was how to ask for help,” said Arop. “During my first few months, I struggled. I was late to everything and had trouble organizing my schedule. With help, I became more organized and learned how to manage my time better.”
During his time at Hotchkiss, Arop helped lead Boys Varsity Basketball to a 14-10 season. He said, “In Texas, I’d been the man since fifth grade. Coming to Hotchkiss was a big change, because I played with a group of guys who were just as talented as I was and who had the same goals as I did. So I learned how to sacrifice myself and be selfless.”
The team faced a challenging season. “We started off pretty well, but then faced some injuries,” said Arop. “We were a bit shorthanded, but we still had a pretty strong second semester. We ended up losing a few close ones at the end, which hurt. But I’d say the season was a success.”
Reflecting on the season and coaching Arop, Head Coach Joe Busacca said, “Arop bought such joy everyday—always smiling, always positive and uplifting to be around. Even though Arop was already committed to Columbia, he still did a great job of making sure to develop in the classroom and on the court, while building connections in the community.”
When asked about his favorite memories from his time on the team, Arop said, “Taft Day was really fun, especially when we went and played in Watertown. The build-up and the team hype was so fun. I loved that feeling.”
Reflecting on his experience playing with Arop, Co-Captain Preston Merrick ’26 said, “He taught me that if I have confidence, I’m capable of anything. He was a big brother to me and motivated me on and off the court. He taught me to have fun with the sport and take things from my successes and to see that every ‘failure’ was a piece of success. He always got us going with dunks, and his energy was unmatched during games.”
During his time at Chisholm Trail, Arop received offers from multiple Division One schools. He got his first D1 offer his sophomore summer, in July 2020, from Howard.
Then, during his junior year, things started to pick up. He received offers from Vanderbilt, Rice, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, UCF, Stanford, UCal, Berkeley, and Miami.
“During my first official visit, Columbia flew my parents and I out. I just fell in love with New York City,” said Arop. “It felt like a fever dream. I also had a unique connection with the coaching staff. I felt that they had my best interests in mind on and off the basketball court.”
The education he would receive was also very important to Arop. He said, “I don’t come from an educated home. One of my big goals is to be able to tell my kids that I have an Ivy League degree. So the education piece was crucial, because of where I come from and the idea of being able to start that lineage of elite education.”
During his freshman year at Columbia, Arop became a representative for the student council of the Class of 2027 and joined the community outreach board for BSA, the Black StudentAthlete Alliance.
Arop reflected on the last two seasons with the Columbia team, saying, “Basketball is going well. I’ve experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows from a basketball perspective. I really like how our team has come together culturally. Now, we’re winning games. It’s a really beautiful thing to see.”
The Men’s Basketball Team at Columbia is currently ranked number one in the Ivy League, with a record of 9-1. Academically,
Arop said Columbia has been difficult. “Hotchkiss prepared me very well for Columbia,” Arop said. “Columbia’s really challenging, but I’d probably say Hotchkiss was more challenging.”
“Hopefully one year I can become Ivy League Player of the Year or be first team all-league,” said Arop. “I also want to be able to make it to the Ivy League tournament. Most importantly, I want to get drafted to the NBA.”
