Arizona Basketball: Analyzing the Wildcats’ 2018-19 projected rotation

Power Forward

Minutes Allocation (40 total): Ryan Luther (18), Ira Lee (13) and Emmanuel Akot (9)

Akot has a big frame and can easily play the power forward position if need be. Considering the lack of true depth at the frontcourt, there are minutes there for him. Although not a great offensive player, he could use his athleticism and quickness to create mismatches for opponents. That might be the best way to create offense for him.

Lee is another 6’7 and 235-pound forward who struggled out the gate as well on offense. In fairness to him and the other now rising sophomores, Ayton and Dusan Ristic were always going to get the vast majority of last season’s minutes. Lee doesn’t project to be a great post scorer thanks to him being undersized, yet he can make the main rotation with solid defense and rebounding, an area the Wildcats look weak at for 2018-19.

The key will be finding out how good Luther really is, as his numbers last year in 10 games were deceiving. The grad transfer averaged 12.7 ppg and 10.1 rpg before going down with a foot injury but most of it came against very poor D-1 competition. He also played on was arguably the worst power conference team and in the three seasons before, Luther averaged just a few points with Pittsburgh.

But even if he doesn’t play up to the standards of a normal Arizona starting forward, his senior leadership on a team still very young overall will be a boost for the coaching staff.