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Arizona Basketball: Can Sean Miller pull off the impossible?

By Tristan Freeman

BOISE, ID - MARCH 15: Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats reacts in the second half against the Buffalo Bulls during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 15, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID - MARCH 15: Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats reacts in the second half against the Buffalo Bulls during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 15, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Arizona Basketball was expected to have an awful 2018-19 season. But can Sean Miller pull off a recruiting miracle to make them more competitive?

Fans of Arizona Basketball knew that next season was going to be more difficult than normal, thanks in part to some expected departures. DeAndre Ayton was heading off to the NBA as an expected top-3 draft pick, Dusan Ristic and Parker Jackson-Cartwright were both graduating, while Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins really had nothing left to prove basketball-wise in college.

There were supposed to be some high-level recruits coming in, a yearly occurrence for one of the top programs in the sport. However, the Wildcats were dealt huge blows throughout the season because of the alleged NCAA recruiting violations surrounding their coaching staff. The constant news and rumors were enough to scare away the recruits, leaving Sean Miller and the program with few answers.

At one point, the projected starting lineup for Arizona in the 2018-19 season was going to feature not a single player who averaged over 5.0 ppg in college. Early preseason expectations for the team had them nowhere near the NCAA Tournament field and closer to the back of the Pac-12 than the front.

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Head coach Sean Miller had some work to do – and he’s been hard at it. The team has gotten a couple of graduate transfers who can reasonably start next season. Samford point guard Justin Coleman averaged 13.5 ppg and 6.6 apg last season and adds a quality ballhandler. Ryan Luther averaged a double-double in the non-conference this past season for the Pittsburgh Panthers, before missing the rest of the season with a foot injury.

The Wildcats also recovered a bit in the recruiting market, snagging a pair of top-100 players in the class of 2018. 6’4 guard Devonaire Doutrive and 6’6 European wing Omar Thielemans may not be the instant impact players but will be valuable four-year contributors for the future.

This all helps with the depth, but there’s still star power that is lacking for next season. But there’s a pair of prized recruits that still are available.

Jordan Brown, a five-star power forward from Napa, California, has the Wildcats along with the University of Cal and Nevada as his final teams. The other is Brandon Williams, a top-40 point guard who has Arizona, Gonzaga, and Oregon in his final three. He already committed to Miller and the Wildcats before, so getting him back would be an even bigger boost to the program’s morale.

These two would be instant starters, and could very well put the Wildcats back in the conversation for another bid to the Big Dance. It’s a testament to Miller and the program for their hard work to build a competitive roster for next season.

Next: 10 teams not likely to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2019

Even if they fail to get both prospects, things already look much better for the 2018-19 season for Arizona. Never count out a program led by Miller, who has built this program to be a viable contender, no matter how much production has been lost from the season prior.

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