Brought to Tucson after excellent work on staff at Gonzaga, Lloyd hasn’t missed a beat in his first stint as a head coach, with three Sweet Sixteens and a boatload of wins in his first four years with the Wildcats. He even authored a smooth transition into a much tougher Big 12 last season.
By many measurements last season was Lloyd’s worst with the Wildcats, but they’ll certainly take 24 wins and a tied for third place in their debut in the Big 12. Arizona thrived in the new environment and were back in the Big Dance again before losing a shootout against Duke in the Sweet Sixteen. That high-powered offense really thrived though it’ll have quite a few changes this upcoming season.
Losing star guard Caleb Love is the big blow and Arizona will certainly miss their former Pac-12 Player of the Year, but that’s far from the only difference in this year’s roster. After major contributions from KJ Lewis and Henri Veesaar, both of them found new homes via the transfer portal. The Wildcats also lost Trey Townsend, a veteran wing, and a few notable faces further down the depth chart.
As you’ll see shortly, Arizona has a plethora of young talent coming to town to bolster the lineup, while a few returning faces will have much bigger roles this season. Still in awe of Lloyd’s work in Tucson, we’ll take a deep dive into the pieces on the roster that he’s brought in and start figuring out what lies in the future for these Wildcats.
Projected Starters
Guard – Jaden Bradley (Senior)
The man expected to shoulder the load for the Wildcats, Bradley came to Arizona two seasons ago after brilliant work as a freshman at Alabama. He slid into a major role last year as a junior, averaging 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as the Wildcats’ point guard. His role orchestrated the offense will only be exaggerated this season, especially on a lineup full of young talent.
Guard – Brayden Burries (Freshman)
One of two 5-star recruits joining the scene in Tucson is Burries, a 6-4 combo guard from San Bernardino, California. Considered a Top 10 recruit and a high school All-American, Burries has the capability to score from basically every level on the court. He’s got solid size and versatility in his game, with the ability to drive to the basket and knock down shots both from outside and the mid-range.
Guard – Anthony Dell’Orso (Senior)
Dell’Orso put up monster numbers at Campbell before transferring to Arizona last season. He couldn’t quite match that 19.5 points per game with the Camels, but he wasn’t a slouch either, putting up 7.2 points per night with solid efficiency metrics. While Dell’Orso was a starter for most of the season, he could be in line for an even bigger role this season, as the former Australian hopes to help fill the void from those offseason departures.
Forward – Koa Peat (Freshman)
Another major eye opener in this recruiting class, Peat is a 5-star prospect and one of the top frontcourt pieces in the nation. A 6-8 power forward from Gilbert, Arizona, he’s a monster athlete who’ll put up numbers even as a true freshman for the Wildcats. While not a great outside shooter, he has a knack around the rim and projects as a great rebounder and shot maker inside.
Forward – Tobe Awaka (Senior)
During his first two collegiate campaigns, Awaka came off the bench at Tennessee before transferring to Arizona last offseason. Year one with the Wildcats was a solid effort, averaging 8.0 points and 7.8 rebounds a night while starting in Arizona’s frontcourt. Now a senior, it’s the final chance for Awaka to showcase his potential, coming off a year where he made 65% of his 2-point baskets.
Key Reserves
Forward – Dwayne Aristode (Freshman)
Another key freshman to watch this season is Aristode, a 6-8 forward originally out of New Hampshire. Physically, he has all the tools to make an instant impact with the Wildcats and could even earn starting minutes by season’s end. His game is still coming together and he’s not as complete as a scorer, but he can make outside shots and is a different maker on defense.
Forward – Ivan Kharchenkov (Freshman)
The latest great international prospect for Arizona, Kharchenkov is a 6-6 wing from Munich who could also be a major threat for these Wildcats. Offensively, Kharchenkov can do a bit of everything, with a solid shot outside the paint and great driving ability. There’s potential to be a great defender in this Arizona system, though it all depends on how he adjusts to the college game.
Center – Motiejus Krivas (Junior)
Krivas is a 7-2 center from Lithuania and another face to watch in the frontcourt. He’s got big league potential with his size and defensive ability, though Krivas got knocked out after just eight games with a leg injury last season. He’s hoping to build on a solid start, putting up 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last season, while continuing to grow as a rebounder and shot blocker around the rim.
Forward – Sidi Gueye (Freshman)
As if there wasn’t enough young potential on this roster, the Wildcats also added Gueye in the offseason, a 6-11 big man out of Spain. Size is where Gueye will stand out, as his impressive frame and length could help him develop into an elite defender in the future for this team. Most of his scoring comes inside the paint but he also tracks as a very solid rebounder.
Guard – Evan Nelson (Senior)
Arizona’s only addition from the transfer portal, Nelson is a 6-2 guard who’s back in his hometown after beginning his career out at Harvard. He didn’t exactly put up monster numbers in the Ivy League, but bounced back nicely last season after missing the previous year with injury. Nelson averaged 9.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists and provides very important depth and experience in this backcourt; plus he’s made nearly 40% of his 3-point attempts in his career.
Schedule Outlook
Before anyone can catch their breath Arizona is thrown right into battle, facing defending champion Florida on opening night in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series. They’ll get a few tuneups at home before seeing former league rival UCLA in another Hall of Fame series matchup. A few days later, Arizona’s toughest challenge yet comes with a true road game across the country at UConn.
There’s no holiday tournament scheduled for the Wildcats, but they have three exciting Saturday matchups set up in December. On the 6th, they’re at home against Auburn before traveling to Birmingham to face Alabama one week later. On December 20, Arizona faces a strong San Diego State squad in Phoenix before two more home dates conclude the nonconference schedule.
With the size of the Big 12, the conference slate is slightly unbalanced, though the Wildcats get a pair of looks at strong BYU and Kansas teams. They have a tough road trip to Houston and Baylor late in February and frankly have quite a murderous stretch near the back end of conference play. The Wildcats get two looks at rival Arizona State and finish the regular season at Colorado on March 7th, with the conference tournament beginning in Kansas City just days later.
Season Outlook
It’s never great losing a legendary presence like Love or seeing a pair of major players hitting the transfer portal, but Arizona clearly was ready for offseason changes. Lloyd put together one of the nation’s best freshman classes and it’s pretty obvious that the Wildcats will be leaning heavily on that young talent.
It’s clearer now than ever that Bradley is going to be heavily leaned on for the Wildcats. They don’t necessarily need him to match Love’s offensive numbers from last year, but he’ll need to be a facilitator and a veteran presence. Bradley has never been a lights out shooter though Arizona will certainly take it if he can elevate the games of the players around him while putting up decent shooting numbers as a senior.
There are many freshmen on this roster, even beyond the notable ones we went over, but a lot of attention falls on Burries and Peat. The two 5-star athletes will be given every opportunity to become stars for the Wildcats and both bring incredible talent to Tucson. Frankly, Burries could be that player who puts up Love-type numbers while Peat will be a game changer in the frontcourt.
Beyond that there are still questions about Arizona’s rotation and we’re far from considering that starting five a finished product. Dell’Orso might have experience but he’ll be hardpressed to stave off Aristode in the starting lineup if the latter can be that difference maker on both ends. With Krivas’s size he has a chance to grab important minutes as Arizona’s center, unless Awaka really breaks out in year two in Tucson.
When you put everything together you have an Arizona team with all the talent in the world but it boils down to production. There’s no question that this a ranked team that can win important games in the Big 12 but this young talent is going to be vital. Arizona will lean on freshmen more than nearly every team at the D1 level. Was it wise for Lloyd to add young and international talent instead of established veterans like Love and Townsend once were?