Arizona men's basketball will honor members of its 2001 Final Four team at halftime of the Wildcats' Feb. 7 game against Oklahoma State at McKale Center.
This season marks the 25th anniversary of the 2000-01 team, which went 28-8 and reached the NCAA championship game in what was its last appearance in the Final Four.
That team produced five NBA Draft picks — Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Loren Woods, Michael Wright and Luke Walton — while other key players included Jason Gardner and Gene Edgerson.
Gilbert Arenas hugs teammates Loren Woods, Lamont Frazier and Jason Gardner after the Wildcats beat Illinois to advance to the 2001 Final Four. UA then beat Michigan State before falling to Duke in the national championship game.
Before their run to the Final Four, the Wildcats dealt with off-the-court heartache that season. Coach Lute Olson's wife, Bobbi, died of ovarian cancer on New Year's Day 2001, and Olson took a resulting five-game leave of absence. Because of Bobbi's medical treatment, Olson also missed a Dec. 9 game at UConn that the Wildcats lost 71-69.
Then-UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough, who is now a Pima women's basketball assistant coach, led the Wildcats during games when Olson was absent that season.
A few players from the 2000-01 team are working locally: Gardner is now UA's player relations director, Edgerson is a Pima College police officer, and former guard Josh Ash works in Tucson commercial real estate.
In addition, former guard Jason Ranne is the Los Angeles-based president of global talent representation at Wasserman Media Group, which represents UA coach Tommy Lloyd.
