Arizona Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Wildcats

Reserves

Ryan Luther, PF/C, Senior

Luther could easily start, but he will play major minutes regardless. He was having a career year for Pittsburgh (12.7 ppg, 10.1rpg) before a foot injury prematurely ended his season. Luther is extremely valuable because he can play both the four and the five and has contrasting skillsets to Jeter and Akot. Offensively, he can play inside and out, but his ability to space the floor (38% 3pt) could his best trait.

Brandon Williams, PG, Freshman

Williams will compete for the starting PG position with graduate transfer Justin Coleman. While Coleman has the edge in experience, I expect Williams to beat out Coleman by the end of the season. Until Williams is ready to become the starter, he will provide some much needed firepower, facilitating, and shot making off the bench. The two lead guards could also play simultaneously for stretches in a small and dynamic backcourt.

Ira Lee, PF/C, Sophomore

After playing sporadically as a freshman, Lee has a chance to earn significantly more playing time as a sophomore. He played double-digit minutes for the first 12 games of the season and only eclipsed that mark twice in the remaining 23 games. Lee hardly played after suffering a late-season concussion, but if he is healthy, he could make a serious impact. The 6’7” sophomore is a mobile big man who can rebound and score inside. It will be interesting to see where Lee fits in the frontcourt since Jeter, Luther, and Akot will all see minutes at the four and/or five.

Alex Barcello, PG/SG, Sophomore

Barcello found himself on the outside of last year’s rotation as he only played in 21 games. The sharp-shooting combo guard never played more than 7 minutes in a game during conference play and only scored 9 points in total during these Pac-12 games. He has a chance to earn more playing time as a sophomore, but he will have to improve on his 31% 3pt shooting to earn a consistent role.

Devonaire Doutrive, Wing, Freshman

Doutrive is a top 100 two guard who can create offense and knock down outside shots. Like every reserve on this Arizona team (and even the projected starters), Doutrive will compete for a spot in the rotation. Few teams have this many roster roles up for grabs, but this is what happens when you lose all five starters from last season’s team.

Omar Thielemans, Wing, Freshman

Thielemans is a 6’7” freshman from Belgium who has flown under the radar. 247 sports rated him as the 120th best prospect in the class of 2018 so he is not projected to make an immediate impact. Also, many players who come directly from overseas to play college basketball have a steeper learning curve than most American high school players. However, his versatility, perimeter shooting, and passing ability makes him an appealing long-term prospect