Although international players might bring value to NIL and revenue share budgets for men’s basketball this season, some patience has been required.
Arizona went without freshman Sidi Gueye for its entire five-week summer training camp, though the Senegalese forward received his student visa in time to arrive just six days before fall semester classes start Monday.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd speaks to his team during a partially-open practice at Richard Jefferson Gymnasium, Aug. 12, 2025.
While Gueye’s arrival means the Wildcats’ entire 16-player roster will be available for the start of limited early fall workouts next week and full practices that can begin on Sept. 22, ASU coach Bobby Hurley hasn’t been as fortunate.
Hurley told the Star and Blue Ribbon Yearbook that he is optimistic but has been without three international players so far: big men Mor Massamba Diop (Senegal) and Andrija Grbovic (Montenegro), along with guard Noah Meeusen (Belgium).
“I think everybody’s in good shape, assuming we get these appointments that we’re trying to get with the embassies,” Hurley said.
While Hurley has six new international players on his 15-player roster, four of Lloyd’s seven incoming freshmen are from outside the United States. Forward Dwayne Aristode is from the Netherlands, wing Ivan Kharchenkov is from Germany and forward Mabil Mawut has roots in Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan.
Arizona forward Dwayne Aristode (2) passes the ball during a partially-open practice at Richard Jefferson Gymnasium, Aug. 12, 2025.
International students at U.S. schools have faced delays in getting visa interviews or other restrictions, but Mawut was already in the United States after attending Our Savior Lutheran High School of Bronx, N.Y., for the past two seasons.
Aristode spent last season at Brewster Academy of New Hampshire, while Kharchenkov arrived this summer from Germany without issue after playing for Bayern Munich last season.
“It’s a crazy time,” Lloyd said of international players’ obstacles in June, before all of his arrived. “You turn on the news and obviously we’ve got some work to do with that area. So we’re paying close attention. We’re gonna make sure we’re in contact with the right people to give a couple of these guys we have coming over a chance.”
It isn’t clear how many other international students at UA are being delayed. UA spokesman Mitch Zak said, “our practice is not to comment on these issues, respecting the privacy of our international students,” and said UA encourages international students to contact the school’s International Student Services if needed for questions.
After Gueye arrived Tuesday, UA athletic department officials confirmed he had done so. While Gueye will start off his Arizona career slightly behind in preparation — and won’t even turn 18 until October — he has flashed considerable upside with his athletic frame, 7-4 wingspan and defensive versatility.
Sidi Gueye helped Real Madrid U18 win the 2024 NextGen championship.
Gueye played for Real Madrid and its U18 youth club in 2024-25, playing briefly over four games in the Spanish top ACB league and three games in Euroleague competition. He also averaged 7.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over 12 games in the U18 NextGen Euroleague.
Gueye was born in Senegal and moved to Spain in 2021 to play for Real Madrid, the same club that developed former UA big man Henri Veesaar before he spent the past three seasons with the Wildcats.
“Coach (Tommy) Lloyd is one of the top coaches in college, and he has coached many international players before,” Gueye told ESPN upon announcing his commitment to UA in April. “He made me feel comfortable and showed me how I can improve and produce in his system.”
