Arizona Basketball: Wildcats get transfer Anthony Dell'Orso from Campbell

Considering the volume of prospects on the move this offseason, it’s no surprise that there continues to be news from the Transfer Portal. One of the latest commitments was former Campbell wing Anthony Dell’Orso announced his intention to play next season at Arizona, jumping from the CAA to the Big 12.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Dell’Orso is a 6’6 guard who spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the Fighting Camels. He was a starter throughout his brief career at Campbell, playing in the Big South as a freshman before leading the program’s charge into the CAA this past season.

After really nice numbers as a true freshman, Dell’Orso took a step forward as a sophomore, averaging 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while making 38% of his 3-pointers on the season. The former Big South Rookie of the Year was named Second Team All-CAA for the Camels for his efforts, though Campbell finished just 14-18, settling for 9th place in year one in the CAA.

Dell’Orso got his season started off on the right foot, dropping 35 points in a loss to East Carolina in Campbell’s second game of the season. He was never a high-quantity 3-point shooter, but had decent scoring and shooting numbers throughout the year. Several double-doubles would follow, notably including a 34-point, 11-rebound effort in a win over UNC Wiilmington in late February.

In what was a tough transition season for Campbell, Dell’Orso certainly emerged as the bright spot, but opted to enter the Transfer Portal. In his final ten games at Campbell, he averaged 23.9 points per game and made 47% of his long-range shots. He showed great potential as an underclassman with the Fighting Camels and now has the opportunity to shine on a bigger stage.

The Australian will continue his basketball career for Tommy Lloyd and Arizona, joining the staff of a head coach who has recruited many international prospects over the years. Dell’Orso fits nicely into a program that shed significant talent, losing Oumar Ballo and Kylan Boswell among others to the Transfer Portal.

We don’t know what kind of emergence Dell’Orso will have playing at a much higher level of basketball, but he joins new pieces like Tobe Awaka and Trey Townsend in reloading the talent level for the Wildcats. Expect him to be a solid scorer and rebounder for the Wildcats, though it would certainly be surprising to see him near 20 points per game in his first season at the power conference level.