NCAA Basketball: Top 25 team frontcourts for 2022-23 season
11. Arizona Wildcats
There’s no Bennedict Mathurin and also no Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Christian Koloko but Arizona should still be in strong shape for next season. Leading the frontcourt will be forward Azuolas Tubelis, who was second on the team with 13.9 ppg and 6.2 rpg. The 6’11 forward had a fantastic start to the season, averaging around 18 ppg in the first 11 games.
Tubelis ultimately dealt with injuries that affected his offensive production in the second half of the season but still had some big games, including a career-high 32 points against Utah. The forward produced four double-doubles and seven games of 20+ points and as the expected focal point of the offense this time around could be Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2023.
Also returning is Oumar Ballo, a transfer from Gonzaga who was very effective off the bench behind Koloko. The 6’11 center was a quality defender and averaged just under 7.0 ppg in 15 mpg. As the projected starter, he’ll have a larger role for Arizona. Ballo’s backup will be four-star freshman Dylan Anderson, as well as another international recruit in Henri Veesaar.
Tubelis’s offensive potential will make the Wildcats’ frontcourt viable on its own but how well Ballo plays in extended minutes will be important. He was trusted in key spots for head coach Tommy Lloyd (who recruited him while at Gonzaga) so look for him to be the new defensive anchor.