22 reasons why Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats are having the best offseason ever
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See what's happened with Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats since their Sweet 16 loss to Xavier in March.
- Arizona Daily Star
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The Arizona Wildcats' season ended in a 73-71 loss to Xavier in the Sweet 16 on March 23.
Since then, they can't stop winning.
Sean Miller and the Wildcats are riding a month-long winning streak since being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Here's a look back at 22 reasons why Miller and the Wildcats have had the best offseason ever:
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Arizona associate head coach Joe Pasternack is interviewing for the vacant UNC Wilmington job, according to WCET Sports of Wilmington, N.C.
Pasternack's name has already surfaced twice for jobs at Cal (in 2014 and 2017), while he also attracted interest from UNLV last year. Pasternack has head coaching experience at the University of New Orleans and is a well-respected recruiter with strong ties in California and Europe.
Earlier this month, Kevin Keatts left Wilmington to become the head coach at N.C. State after leading the Seahawks to two straight NCAA Tournaments.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Markkanen was named a third-team all-American by the Associated Press on March 28, one of a record four Pac-12 players who made one of the AP’s three five-man teams.
UCLA guard Lonzo Ball was named to the first team along with Kansas’ Frank Mason, Villanova’s Josh Hart, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and North Carolina’s Justin Jackson.
Oregon’s Dillon Brooks made the second team, along with Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss, Baylor’s Johnathan Motley, Duke’s Luke Kennard and Kentucky’s Malik Monk of Kentucky.
Joining Markkanen and Washington’s Markelle Fultz on the third team were Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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CHICAGO — Already the highest-rated signee in Arizona basketball history, DeAndre Ayton also showed a side of him on March 29 that UA coach Sean Miller is bound to love.
This is how Ayton described the West’s 109-107 win over the East in the McDonald’s All American Game:
“The bottom line just to win games,” said Ayton, who had eight points and 11 rebounds for the West. “The East team was competitive, they have the intensity, but we locked in on defense and rebounding and we got the win.”
Defense and rebounding.
Boring to talk about sometimes, but it works — even in an all-star game, the kind of competition that is usually known for offense more than anything.
Ayton’s friend and West teammate Brandon McCoy bought into it, too.
Then he lived it.
With the West trying to protect its 109-107 lead throughout the final minute, McCoy blocked a pair of shots from the East within the last seven seconds.
The first was a skillful layup attempt from Collin Sexton, then McCoy stopped Trevon Duval from putting in a desperation shot just before the buzzer.
“I didn’t really think of how big of a play it was. I just wanted to make the right play,” McCoy said. “I didn’t necessarily go into the game for defense but I just wanted to play the game the right way. And I was just blessed to be in position to block that shot. Collin is a great player.”
McCoy had 13 points, three rebounds, four steals and four blocks.
Ayton was 4 for 10, but missed all three 3-pointers he tried.
Defense, and rebounding. The West out-rebounded the East 63-46 and kept the East to just 13 percent shooting from 3-point range.
While Ayton started and McCoy came off the bench for the West team, they both took care of the inside. The second team also included UCLA commit Jaylen Hands, who added two steals.
“It was a lot of defense in the second group,” McCoy said. “I feel we came out with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to prove that we were supposed to start and we did that. We seemed to play harder.
“I did get hit pretty hard a couple of times (on offense). But you know what? I got back and ran on defense. I just tried to be in the right position at the right time.”
None of the West players logged more than 22 minutes, though, with West coast Gary DeCesare trying to keep it even. In fact, when DeCesare was asked about his strategy in the last-second defensive situation, he said that was secondary.
“Subbing was the hardest,” DeCesare said. “I’m trying to get the same amount of time. All the guys were really talented.”
Michael Porter Jr., the onetime Washington signee who flipped to Missouri after Lorenzo Romar was fired at UW earlier this month, was named the game’s MVP after collecting 17 points and eight rebounds.
Porter and Ayton have generally been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the class of 2017, making their appearance together more compelling.
Then again, the way Ayton described it, the entire week was compelling for the players: The McDonald’s players went at each other for three practices and a scrimmage before Wednesday’s game was even played.
“This is the best against the best,” he said. “You have to be conditioning for these dudes because they are coming after you. The competitiveness is through the roof.”
After all that, 20 minutes of game time on the United Center floor before ESPN cameras was cake for Ayton.
“It was much easier,” he said of Wednesday’s game. “All that physicality in practice, you got used to it. You got used to the competitive levels in the last two days.”
And, as much as anything, it was fun. McCoy called Ayton a “brother” who used to live in the same San Diego house with him before Ayton moved to Phoenix in 2015 to play for Hillcrest Prep.
“We haven’t seen each other in a while,” Ayton said. “I know his game and he knows mine and we’ve just been going at it ever since eighth grade. Everything we do, we just make each other better.”
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
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Back in December, as Arizona prepped for a late-night tipoff against UC Irvine, UA coach Sean Miller walked into McKale Center donning a T-shirt that made Finnish freshman Lauri Markkanen smile.
The shirt had "a lot of Finnish words" on it, Markkanen said.
"I thought it was pretty funny," he said.
Markkanen smiled while thinking of that memory, and his adjustment to college basketball. Markkanen declared for the NBA draft on March 30, flanked by his father, Pekka, and Miller. He'll spend the next few weeks in Finland, his first time home since he moved more than 5,000 miles from Jyvaskyla to Tucson. It will be a brief but much-needed respite after a long basketball season that, Markkanen admits, ended too early.
"Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine," Markkanen said, "so I'm happy and excited to announce that I've declared for the NBA draft."
Markkanen has spent most of his lone season at Arizona projected as a first-round pick, rising as high as the top 10. DraftExpress currently projects Markkanen as the No. 8 pick in the first round. The 7-footer showed flashes of greatness during his one season as a Wildcat, averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range.
Miller said he had a feeling he was coaching his latest one-and-done NBA prospect. Markkanen is the fourth freshman in the Miller era to declare early, following Grant Jerrett (2013), Aaron Gordon (2014) and Stanley Johnson (2015).
Arizona is still awaiting NBA decisions from freshmen Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins and sophomore Allonzo Trier. Miller said on March 30 that they'll "deal with those guys individually." Simmons, for one, is expected to leave.
Miller said the inevitability of Markkanen's departure doesn't make it any easier to handle.
"I've been up here with a number of guys and it's obviously a bittersweet moment for these guys," Miller said. "I think it's a dream come true in many ways and yet it feels like this guy right here just got here."
Miller said he supports Markkanen's decision "100 percent" and mentioned that feedback from NBA executives indicated that he would be a high draft pick.
It's not hard to see why.
Markkanen is a 7-footer who can shoot. He led the Wildcats in both 3-point shooting and rebounding, and finished second, to Trier, in scoring. Markkanen was first-team All Pac-12; The Associated Press recently named him a third team All-American.
"It's been a unbelievable year," Markkanen said. "I had so much fun."
Added Miller: "It's bittersweet today, anytime you see anyone realize his dreams and you recognize the bright bright future he has in this game, I'm just happy we were a part of it. He gave us a lot, and hopefully on our end we've given him some things we can always remember."
Markkanen made the decision a few days after returning to Tucson following last week's Sweet 16 loss to Xavier.
"I was hoping all season that it (the NBA) would happen," he added, "but I tried to concentrate on basketball and winning as many games as possible."
Pekka Markkanen said his son has yet to pick an agent. Before Markknanen, the only Finnish basketball player to play in the NBA was Hanno Mottola, a Utah alum who spent two seasons in the league.
Mottola was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks, Markkanen is considered a lock to be Finland's highest-ever drafted player.
"It's an amazing feeling, but hopefully there's more to come from Finland and I think that's going to happen," he said.
Pekka Markkanen only recently accepted that his son will likely be a first-round draft pick.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm too pessimistic; I have tried to learn to find positive things to tell," he said. "It's been pleasant to see."
When Markkanen arrived in Arizona, he didn't know much about the Wildcats, about the culture in the Old Pueblo. His English wasn't great, and he was a little shy.
"I think I got better at small talk," he said, smiling. "Finnish people are little bit more shy, but I just really enjoyed the year."
Shortly after his press conference, Markkanen recorded the latest video entry for Arizona's intro video that plays before all home games at McKale Center.
Soon, he'll be back on his way to Finland, then, soon, to New York for the draft. He'll hear his name called.
"He'll be, for our fans, they'll be proud of him like they were proud of Steve Kerr and Aaron Gordon and all the great players who have come through here," Miller said. "They'll watch him for many, many years, in my opinion, be successful in the NBA."
Added Markkanen: "I'm looking forward to it, it's a big step and a big challenge for me and I'm ready to go and do my best."
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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When UC Santa Barbara officials introduced Joe Pasternack as the Gauchos’ new coach on April 4, they noted his varied experiences, recruiting connections and the detailed practice notes he took under Bob Knight as a student at Indiana.
Then Pasternack talked a lot about Sean Miller, his boss since 2011 at Arizona.
“The past six years at Arizona have been the best six years of my life,” Pasternack said, working with “someone I consider a very, very close friend, a brother, and someone who has really taught me how to run a comprehensive program.
“Coach Miller has not only produced players at a high level, but also assistant coaches. His system has been duplicated (by other former UA assistants) at Ball State, Xavier and Dayton with an incredible amount of success. We hope to do the same here at UCSB.”
Pasternack also said he wanted to make UCSB a “players-first program,” while “honoring the process” and, not surprisingly, emphasizing defense and rebounding.
All those are core Miller beliefs, and they’ll come with Pasternack’s famously dogged work ethic, too.
“My energy, competitiveness and passion will bleed through every aspect of this program,” Pasternack said.
Miller probably wouldn’t doubt that. In a statement Arizona issued via Twitter, Miller said Pasternack impacted the UA program positively at every level.
“His recruiting ability, on-the-floor coaching and game planning was matched only by his relentless, competitive spirit every day,” Miller said in the statement. “As a head coach, he will passionately build UCSB into the champions of the Big West Conference in a matter of time.”
Pasternack, 39, joined the Arizona staff in 2011 after Miller’s brother, Archie, left to become Dayton’s head coach. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2013 when James Whitford left Arizona to take over Ball State.
In recent years, Pasternack has not only scouted many of the UA’s toughest opponents but added some key international recruiting connections to the California ties that he began building as a Cal staffer. Pasternack worked under former Bears coach Ben Braun from 2001-07.
Pasternack has a strong connection to the well-regarded Oakland Soldiers travel ball program, which sent Aaron Gordon, Stanley Johnson and Brandon Ashley to the UA, while he made inroads in the recruitment of Serbia’s Dusan Ristic and Finland’s Lauri Markkanen.
USCB athletic director John McCutcheon cited Pasternack’s “extensive contacts” while he and Pasternack talked about upgrading recruiting.
Pasternack told the assembled media and fans at his news conference that UA’s frontline included players from Finland, Serbia and Australia (Keanu Pinder) while also noting Santa Barbara’s location on California’s central coast will be attractive to in-state players.
“The distance from home is the No. 1 decision criteria for any parent, family member or coach,” Pasternack said. “The good news for that is we’re in the state of California, where there’s more talent than any state in the country. We’re going to recruit the state of California from Sacramento to San Diego very hard.”
Once he gets the players there, Pasternack said he will have a daily plan of development that — not surprisingly — is also like Arizona’s.
“Sean Miller has a comprehensive system, from academics to skill development on offense and defense, and a recruiting plan he really believes in,” Pasternack said. “He is consumed in every manner of the program. That’s what I learned.”
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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The annual wave of way-too-early Top 25 rankings has hit — despite the ever-increasing level of roster change in the spring — and three news organizations have the Wildcats atop their list.
Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and USA Today all have Arizona ranked No. 1, with most of them appearing to be based on the idea that Kobi Simmons will join Lauri Markkanen in pro basketball, while Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins may not.
Yahoo has UA No. 2, saying that a Trier return probably makes them No. 1, while ESPN has the Wildcats No. 11 and FanRag No. 9.
Interesting to note how many of them are suggesting USC might be the second-place pick in the Pac-12 next season (if the Trojans can keep guys from leaving early): The Trojans are No. 11 in USA Today's poll, 13 in SI and FanRag, and 14 in Yahoo's picks.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Kobi Simmons’ short and inconsistent Arizona basketball career is officially over.
Arizona announced the long-expected decision of the former McDonald’s All-American to leave as a freshman for professional basketball late on April 5, after he dropped to the end of the UA playing rotation over the final month of the season.
His decision came on the same afternoon that Scout.com reported forward Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft without signing with an agent, an option that allows all underclassmen to get feedback from pro officials and return to school by May 24, if desired.
Simmons, a supremely athletic 6-foot-5-inch guard from Atlanta, started in 19 games and was a major factor in wins over Michigan State in Hawaii and at UCLA. But he lost his starting job to Allonzo Trier on Feb. 8 and slipped further down the bench afterward.
Simmons played just six minutes in UA’s regular-season finale at Arizona State and averaged 6.3 minutes a game between the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments. That includes a 14-minute appearance in Arizona’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over North Dakota; he played the final minute alongside four walk-ons.
Simmons averaged 8.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Still, he’s projected as a second-round NBA Draft pick because of his size, athleticism and shooting skills. Draft Express projects he will be taken at No. 51, toward the end of the second round.
While Simmons spoke generally about his role during the NCAA Tournament — saying during the first weekend that he was “just playing hard and doing my job” — other interpretations have been offered.
“He’s looked highly dejected and clearly not on the same page with the coaching staff, which is particularly surprising considering his track-record going into college,” Draft Express president Jonathan Givony wrote on March 23. “NBA scouts like Simmons’ talent level but have major concerns about his intangibles, especially considering how much development he still needs in terms of his skill level and basketball IQ.”
Givony also noted that the NBA’s new “two-way” contract will allow him to “make some decent money while the team that picks him evaluates if he can get his act together in the D-League.”
Two-way contracts essentially allow NBA teams a 16th and 17th spot for players to be mostly assigned to their D-League affiliates with the ability to be shuttled back and forth for a maximum of 45 days in the NBA. They are expected to earn players between $50,000 and $75,000, more than double a typical D-League salary.
Arizona’s announcement of Simmons’ departure was quiet in contrast to the way it handled freshman forward Lauri Markkanen’s departure last week. UA held a 10 a.m. news conference on March 30 for Markkanen and streamed it online, timing it for prime-time viewing in Europe.
Simmons’ announcement was delivered by email after 4:30 p.m. April 5.
“Kobi Simmons, with the support of his family, has decided to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft,” UA coach Sean Miller said in the school’s statement. “All of us here at Arizona thank him for his freshman season and wish him continued success as he pursues his professional career.”
In UA’s statement, Simmons said he enjoyed his time at Arizona and thanked his teammates, coaches, and UA fans. He later elaborated on Twitter.
“We’ve grown as brothers through the wars we have been through with everything,” Simmons wrote of his UA teammates. “I am blessed to have the year that I’ve had this season. I would like to thank the fans for all of their support they have given us throughout the year. I would love to thank the people who support me and I would love to thank the haters for motivating me even more!
“With that being said my family and I have decided to make the best decision for me and my future and I have decided to enter the 2017 NBA Draft. Blessed to have this amazing opportunity!”
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Arizona confirmed reserve center Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft without hiring an agent.
He'll have until May 24, 10 days after the NBA Draft Combine, to decide if he wants to return. But it's not clear if he'll get an invitation to the combine, since there are only 60 spots.
“I am excited about the opportunity to explore my NBA options, gather information and dedicate the next month to reaching my goals of becoming an NBA player,” Comanche said in a UA statement. “At the conclusion of this process, my family and I will make the best decision for my future both on and off the court. I also want to thank coach (Sean) Miller and the Arizona staff for supporting my decision.”
Comanche is not projected to be among the 60 players taken in the 2017 or 2018 drafts by Draft Express, but the scouting website said before last season that his size, length and athleticism are projectable to the pro level.
Comanche averaged 18.1 minutes and started two games last season, and is expected to play a backup role again next season behind Dusan Ristic and DeAndre Ayton if he returns. Moreover, Keanu Pinder gained some momentum in the rotation toward the end of last season as a power forward to be used in smaller frontcourt matchups.
The NCAA last year extended the deadline from mid-April until 10 days after the Combine, allowing players to theoretically get a better idea of where they stand before deciding whether or not to leave school.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Freshman wing Rawle Alkins declared for the NBA Draft on April 12, meaning half of the Wildcats’ would-be returning rotation players are now committed to going pro or testing the waters.
And that’s not even including wing Allonzo Trier, who hasn’t said anything one way or another yet.
Alkins posted a note on the morning of April 12 on Twitter that said he would declare for the draft without hiring an agent, which gives him the option to return to school by May 24 if he chooses do so.
Sophomore reserve center Chance Comanche is also declaring without hiring an agent, while departing freshmen Lauri Markkanen and Kobi Simmons have made irrevocable decisions to leave.
“I want to be sure that I am making the right decision,” Alkins wrote, “so after much thought, I have decided to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft without signing with an agent. #SAVAGELIFE.”
A 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound wing with a solid all-around game, Alkins appears to have an uphill battle to prove himself worthy of a guaranteed NBA contract. Going in the first round would earn him a guaranteed two-year contract worth seven figures, while high second-round selections can typically negotiate at least a modest six-figure guarantee on their own.
Alkins is projected as mid second-round pick in 2018 by Draft Express, and a late first-round pick in 2018 by nbadraft.net. Draft Express analyst Mike Schmitz told the Star’s Zack Rosenblatt last month that Alkins might benefit from more college experience.
“He has the strength and he has the length,” Schmitz said. “He’s a good athlete in transition, but in the halfcourt, when the floor is shrunk, he’s a heavy kid so it’s tough for that to translate. He’s not a jet with the ball.
“He’s going to need to continue to improve his skill level, become a knockdown shooter and really carve out a niche because I think he can do a little bit of everything, but he maybe doesn’t have an elite NBA skill yet, which is OK.”
Of UA’s other draft prospects, Markkanen is an expected lottery pick while Simmons is a projected second-round pick and Comanche is not projected to be drafted. UA has lost an increasing number of players early who wind up outside the 30 first-round picks: Brandon Ashley went undrafted as a junior in 2015, Nick Johnson went No. 42 as a junior in 2014 and Grant Jerrett went No. 40 as a freshman in 2013.
Alkins announced the decision on his own via Twitter instead of through the standard UA channels, like Comanche, Markkanen and Simmons did. UA held a March 30 news conference to announce Markkanen’s decision to leave, issued an April 5 news release saying Simmons would go and an April 8 news release saying Comanche will test the draft.
The NCAA last year started giving underclassmen an extra six weeks to decide whether or not to leave before losing their eligibility, and that change is hitting the Wildcats hard this spring. The UA coaching staff now might not know until late May whether or not Alkins and Comanche will return, and Trier may also take a while to decide.
Five-star Michigan wing Brian Bowen, a UA recruiting target, has said he’s waiting to see how his prospective schools’ rosters fill out before he makes a decision. Bowen is believed to be particularly watching Trier’s decision.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Playing only half a season with the Arizona Wildcats as a sophomore, Allonzo Trier has plans to make up for it as a junior.
The Wildcats’ leading scorer said on April 13 that he would return next season instead of declaring for the NBA draft, all but assuring UA will remain in the national title conversation even as teammates Rawle Alkins and Chance Comanche consider turning pro.
Individually, Trier will get to take a crack at all-American and Pac-12 player of the year honors, too.
He responded on April 13 to a tweet suggesting he could even be national player of the year in 2017-18, by tweeting “on it.” When another person later tweeted “Hope @iso_zo dominates next season,” Trier responded with confidence.
“Hope lol?” Trier wrote. “You ain’t gotta hope my dude.”
Trier did not issue a definitive statement on Twitter or via UA, and he could not be reached locally for comment, but he was in touch with ESPN and Scout about his decision. He told ESPN he wanted to continue with his “original goal” of winning a national championship.
Trier’s mother, Marcie, told the Star via text message that her son never left the Wildcats and is “all in” for next season.
“He is committed to bringing home a national championship,” she said. “He loves his teammates and his fans.”
Trier reacted similarly last season while deciding to stay in Tucson instead of declaring for the NBA draft, saying he was excited about “the quest to become a complete player.” He then drew praise for his over-the-top offseason work from UA coach Sean Miller.
“He invested from the second he said he was coming back to Arizona in all the things you’d want him to invest in,” Miller said last August. “His body, his waist, his body fat — he looks like a different person, and that’s through hard work. It is an obsession for him to become a great player, and it’s so fun to be around him because he is maturing.”
However, Trier’s sophomore season was grounded when he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug in the preseason. He later said the result came because he was unknowingly given a banned substance by a “well-intentioned but misguided” person after suffering an injury.
The suspension put Trier under a cloud of uncertainty for three months, with the UA refusing to say why he was out. Trier finally admitted the PED result in mid-January, two days before he was cleared to return.
Trier said he grew from the experience, not only because he couldn’t play for a reason he said was not his fault, but also from “always being hassled about it” wherever he went.
“It was kind of a lonely moment, a low feeling,” Trier said during the Pac-12 tournament. “It’s something nobody can describe. You just feel kind of on your own. I was just thankful to have my family have my back, and the coaching staff and the team.”
Trier made his debut in what became the Wildcats’ best regular-season win, at UCLA on Jan. 21. He came off the bench for the next four games then jumped back into the starting lineup on Feb. 8 against Stanford. He wound up leading the Wildcats in scoring with an average of 17.2 points, while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point territory and 81.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Trier’s decision to stay means Arizona will have at least four members of its nine-man rotation back, along with a top-five recruiting class led by forward/center DeAndre Ayton.
The Wildcats could add another high school signee or transfer this spring. Coaches are pursuing, among others, five-star Delaware point guard Trevon Duval, five-star Michigan wing Brian Bowen, Pitt grad transfer forward Cameron Johnson and Rice transfer guard Marcus Evans.
Arizona has one scholarship available as of now, and more if either Alkins or Comanche do not return. They have both declared for the NBA draft without signing with an agent, meaning they’ll have the option of returning to school until May 24.
While Bowen said two weeks ago he’s waiting to see how rosters shake out before deciding between Arizona, Michigan State and Creighton, the decisions of Trier and Michigan State’s Miles Bridges to stay in school could make it difficult.
Bowen told New York recruiting reporter Adam Zagoria this week that Oregon, Missouri and Ohio State have reached out lately “because they know I’m not committed.”
At a public gathering in East Lansing, Michigan, on April 13, Bridges told a group of about 1,000 fans that he wanted “to finish business here.” His decision was more of a surprise than Trier’s, since he was considered a potential lottery pick who could have commanded a guaranteed contract worth at least $4 million.
Draft Express projects Trier as the No. 35 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, just five spots below the first round where seven-figure, two-year contracts are guaranteed. Alkins is listed at No. 47 in 2018 while Comanche is not in Draft Express’ 2017 or 2018 mocks.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Arizona announced on April 14 that center Dusan Ristic would rejoin the Wildcats for his senior season, assuring the UA of at least two returning starters in 2017-18.
The 7-foot Serbian isn’t currently projected as an NBA draft pick, but he has improved every season and has always had the option of signing a lucrative deal in Europe.
Though Ristic gave no indication during the season that he was considering a departure, he went through an information-gathering process this spring before making his decision.
“It is important to me to return to finish my education and complete my goals as a player,” Ristic said in a statement he and the UA released on Twitter. “The support of my coaches, teammates, and the Arizona fans has been amazing throughout my three years in Tucson. I look forward to competing for championships during my final season in McKale Center.”
The UA didn’t issue a news release about Ristic’s return but attached statements from Ristic and UA coach Sean Miller to a tweet that said the program can’t wait to see him play in 2017-18.
“We are excited to welcome Dusan back for his senior year,” Miller said in his statement. “There are very few players that have improved more over a three-year period at Arizona than he has. This is a tribute to his tireless work ethic, love of the game and his amazing desire to improve.”
The news comes one day after Allonzo Trier told national media he was returning to Arizona. The UA issued a statement from Miller saying he was thrilled to have one of “the premier players in college basketball” returning.
“We appreciated the manner in which Allonzo and his family handled this decision,” Miller said. “Not just because he is returning to Arizona, but because they valued all of the information given to them. Now he will be able to return to our program to address his weaknesses, add to his many strengths and have the opportunity to greatly improve his future on the basketball court and beyond.”
The decisions of Trier and Ristic to stay follow the decisions of forward Lauri Markkanen and Kobi Simmons to leave for pro ball, while Rawle Alkins and Chance Comanche are testing the NBA draft process without hiring an agent.
Alkins and Comanche have until May 24 to return to school if they want. A new NCAA rule last season allowed players to take until 10 days after the end of the NBA Combine to decide to return.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In different Jordan Brand Classic games on April 14 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Arizona signees DeAndre Ayton and Brandon Randolph made their mark.
Ayton had 19 points and eight rebounds (seven on the offensive end) in the West's 124-116 win over the East in the national game. Earlier in the "regional" game, Randolph had 32 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes.
Kind of makes you wonder how Randolph might have done in the marquee game.
USA Today High School Sports said Randolph actually had to play often inside despite being a 6-6 wing, and Randolph said afterward he hoped to bulk up before playing for the Wildcats. (Certainly, this brings a smile to Chris Rounds' face).
It's about “just getting my body ready,” Randolph told USA Today. “I know that once I get my body right, I’ll be ready to compete at the next level.”
Of the national game, Rivals' Eric Bossi wrote that Ayton played the best he has on the all-star circuit, "being active on the glass and committed to playing strong on the interior."
Adam Zagoria posted some video highlights, where Ayton is shown in No. 9 dunking over teammate Mohamed Bamba, of all people...
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Arizona formally announced the hiring of former Washington coach Lorenzo Romar as an associate head coach on April 15.
Romar, who was fired at Washington last month after going 298-196 over 15 seasons as the Huskies' head coach, will replace Joe Pasternack, who left to become UC Santa Barbara's head coach on April 4.
Almost immediately after Pasternack left, Romar was believed to be Miller's top choice if he wanted the job. However, the opening had to be posted for 10 days under UA regulations.
Romar, 58, is expected to receive a salary at least in the mid-six-figure range, and is receiving a $3.2 million buyout from Washington. Pasternack made $302,000 as UA's associate head coach.
"Of all the potential opportunities that were out there for me, joining the Arizona program was the one that was most appealing," Romar said in a UA statement. "I truly believe Sean Miller is one of the best coaches in America. The opportunity to join him, his staff and the rich tradition of Arizona basketball is something that I'm extremely excited about."
Although Washington and Arizona were among the Pac-12's biggest rivals early in Miller's UA tenure, Romar and Miller have had a close and respectful coaching relationship especially since they worked with USA Basketball's junior teams in 2014 and 2015. Miller was an assistant to the U18 team in 2014 and head coach of the U19 team in 2015, while Romar was a member of the junior national team committee.
"Lorenzo's accomplishments in this game speak for themselves, including his successful tenure as the head coach at Washington for the last 15 seasons," Miller said in a UA statement. "However, his dedication to his players, passion for this game and impeccable character is what everybody that knows him loves about him. He will no doubt make a significant impact in all aspects of our basketball program as we continue to build and improve in all that we do."
UA's leading scorer, Allonzo Trier, appeared to be especially excited about the news. A native of Seattle who attended Romar's camps early in his elementary school years, Trier tweeted out a series of upbeat emojis along with this: "ROMAR!!!!!!!!!!"
Romar was known at Washington for recruiting and developing much of the top-level talent in the Northwest. He had 13 players become NBA Draft picks but often watched many of them leave early for the NBA, and in many cases before they were expected to leave.
Last season, Romar coached guard Markelle Fultz, who is likely to be one of the top two draft picks, but the Huskies were just 9-22 overall and 2-16 in the Pac-12.
Before arriving at Washington in 2002-03, Romar spent three seasons apiece as the head coach at Pepperdine (1996-99) and Saint Louis (1999-2002). He played at Washington and for five seasons in the NBA.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Kadeem Allen had an efficient three games in the Portsmouth Invitational, averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 48.1 percent from the field (13 of 27) and 50 percent (4 of 8) from 3-point range. He also averaged 3.0 assists to 2.0 turnovers and 1.3 steals in 26.7 minutes per game.
Here's a look at his stats in each game:
• Game 1: 16 points (6-10 FGs, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FTs), 7 rebounds (3 offensive, 4 defensive), 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals, 29 minutes.
• Game 2: 9 points (3-5 FGs, 1-2 3PT, 2-3 FTs), 5 rebounds (2 offensive, 3 defensive), 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block, 22 minutes.
• Game 3: 13 points (4-12 FGs, 0-1 3PT, 5-5 FTs), 5 rebounds (1 offensive, 4 defensive), 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 block, 1 steal, 29 minutes.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Lorenzo Romar isn't sure exactly when Allonzo Trier started showing up at his Washington basketball camps. But there’s one memory of those days he probably won’t forget.
That’s when Trier used his back as a backboard.
"I remember I felt something hit my back, and it was the ball," Romar said, estimating Trier was then in fourth grade, around 10 years old. "He threw it at me, then got it back and he had a big grin on his face, like 'Come and take it from me.'"
Romar said Trier was already one of his best campers at that point. Of all ages.
"He had a great passion for basketball," Romar said. "As a fourth-grader he was almost as good as the 11th graders."
Romar will get a chance to start working with Trier again in offseason workouts this month and there's no doubt Trier is happy about that. Romar says he’ll go to work immediately this week for Arizona and hit the road recruiting this weekend.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Four-star Southern California 2018 power forward Shareef O'Neal has committed to the Arizona Wildcats, according to an early-morning tweet from his travel club.
O'Neal, the son of former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, retweeted a congratulations for the decision by his California Supreme team that was posted at 1:44 a.m. on April 19. He tweeted out his own announcement at 8:06 a.m.
He had also been considering USC, UCLA, Kentucky and his father's former school, LSU, before it fired coach Johnny Jones.
"My father never said you should do this, you should do that. So I'm gonna let him make his decision," Shaq told ESPN in January. "LSU, Kentucky, Arizona. He's getting a lot of letters. A couple of weeks ago, he got his book with all his letters, I got my book with all my letters. It's a great feeling. But I'm gonna let him make the final decision."
O'Neal has a different game than his physically powerful father: He's a 6-foot-9, 200-pound forward who can play facing the basket. He told the Star in Las Vegas last July that Shaq called him a "stretch four or five."
Shareef and Shaquille visited Arizona for the Wildcats' Nov. 18 game with Sacred Heart last season. He said in July he wanted to pay attention to how the Wildcats play, and was apparently impressed.
“I’ve been to Arizona for an unofficial visit and the campus was great, the coaches treated us like family,” O’Neal told Rivals recently. “I know they let their bigs shoot and play the perimeter and that’s the kind of thing I like."
The Cal Supreme team has many ties to the Wildcats. Former UA standout Miles Simon has coached for them, while current guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright played for the club as has incoming UA freshman DeAndre Ayton.
O'Neal also plays during the school year with incoming UA forward Ira Lee at Crossroads School of Santa Monica, Calif., and told the Star he is "like a cousin" of former UA walk-on Quentin Crawford, whose father has been Shaq’s bodyguard and longtime close friend.
O'Neal becomes the Wildcats' second commitment from the class of 2018, after Emmanuel Akot committed last month. Arizona is also still recruiting for the class of 2017, with at least one spot still available.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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On April 19, the UA held the "CATSYS," its athletic department awards show, in McKale Center.
Former UA forward Lauri Markkanen was named UA’s male freshman of the year during the awards ceremony, although he is at home in Finland and did not attend. Softball player Jessie Harper was named female freshman of the year.
Among the other top honors, All-America shot putter Aaron Castle was named the top senior male student-athlete while volleyball’s Penina Snuka and softball’s Katiyana Mauga shared senior women’s student-athlete honors.
Golfer Wanasa Zhou was named the athletic department’s valedictorian, currently holding a 3.98 GPA as an accounting major.
Of the top juniors, runner Claire Green was named top female and swimmer Justin Wright top male. Of the sophomores, baseball catcher Cesar Salazar was named top male and golfer Haley Moore top female.
- Arizona Daily Star
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The UA held an introductory press conference for Lorenzo Romar on April 20.
Needless to say, he won the presser. See the highlights below.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Lorenzo Romar will be hitting the road to recruit for Arizona this weekend, and he won’t be focused just on his old backyard.
“It was never communicated to me by coach (Sean) Miller that `We’re bringing you in because we want you to get the Seattle kids,’ “ the former Washington coach said during his introductory news conference April 20 at McKale Center.
However, Romar will be recruiting up and down the West Coast, so some contact in Seattle will be inevitable. The Wildcats and Huskies may even go up against the same targets in many cases; Jaylen Nowell appeared to already be one before he reaffirmed his signing with Washington earlier this week.
“It will be a different experience,” Romar said. “There’s no doubt about that. But anybody would understand we’re all trying to be the best we can be.”
Romar has already experienced plenty of difficult and awkward moments in recruiting – that is, each time he called the members of his heralded 2017 recruiting class – most of which dissipated after his firing last month.
“None of those were fun conversations,” Romar said. “I talked to all of them. I tried to encourage them that they had something special going. I would try to get a feel for what they were thinking at the time.”
Romar said he was impressed with the “kind of character” Miller has been targeting in his recruiting and that he hoped he could help wherever needed. With Joe Pasternack having taken his California recruiting ties to UC Santa Barbara, it is clear that Romar will be needed in the West.
“They do a phenomenal job in recruiting,” Romar said. “We recruited against them (at Washington) and you hear how the kids talk about the Arizona program and the coaching staff, and how they go about their business. It’s really impressive. I’m coming in here with the attitude of whatever I can do to help and make sure Arizona basketball at last stays where it’s at and hopefully try to get it even better. Whatever I can do to do that, I’m gonna try to do.”
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Kadeem Allen’s strong performance in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament earlier this month has paid off, earning the departing Arizona senior an invite to the NBA Combine next month in Chicago.
Only 70 players typically participate in front of key NBA scouts at the combine, and some top international players do not play, so those without invitations face long odds to become one of the 60 NBA Draft picks.
While Allen wasn’t available for comment Friday, Allen’s mother, Bernadette, said her son called to tell her that he had been invited. The NBA has not yet released its complete list of participants for the May 9-14 combine.
Allen was UA’s veteran leader and top defender last season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. But he further opened some eyes in the seniors-only Portsmouth tournament, averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 48.1 percent and playing strong defense.
“I thought he really helped himself,” said Jonathan Givony, president of the Draft Express scouting site. “I thought he played great.”
The NBA has guaranteed that a minimum of five players from Portsmouth will be awarded spots in the NBA Combine.
Allen is not projected to be drafted but is ranked the No. 73 overall NBA prospect by Draft Express.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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UA freshman Rawle Alkins has been invited to the NBA Combine next month in Chicago, while it’s unknown if UA sophomore Chance Comanche was.
Only 70 players typically participate in front of key NBA scouts at the combine, and some top international players do not play, so those without invitations face long odds to become one of the 60 NBA Draft picks.
Alkins and Comanche have declared for the draft without signing with an agent, meaning they have until May 24 to return to Arizona if they want.
UA freshman Lauri Markkanen, meanwhile, is certain to be invited but it’s unclear whether he will participate in any form. The Finnish forward is a projected lottery pick with little to gain from playing in the combine.
Draft Express lists Alkins at No. 47 in its 2018 Mock Draft, while Comanche is not listed.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
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Arizona freshman Kobi Simmons has been invited to the NBA Combine, giving the Wildcats at least three representatives in the critical predraft camp.
Since Simmons has signed with an agent and is projected to be a second-round pick, he was expected to be invited. The Combine usually has 70 participants, while there are only 60 spots in the NBA Draft.
Simmons played key roles in two of UA's biggest wins last season — against Michigan State in Hawaii and at UCLA — but largely fell out of the rotation in the final month of the season. He averaged 8.7 points while starting 19 of 37 games, losing his starting job to Allonzo Trier on Feb. 8.
A former five-star recruit from Atlanta, Simmons is projected as the No. 55 pick in the June NBA Draft according to Draft Express.
In preparation for the draft, Simmons has been working out with trainer Ganon Baker.
UA sophomore Chance Comanche has not been invited at this point, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, though sometimes there are late additions.
- Arizona Daily Star
The Arizona Wildcats' season ended in a 73-71 loss to Xavier in the Sweet 16 on March 23.
Since then, they can't stop winning.
Sean Miller and the Wildcats are riding a month-long winning streak since being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Here's a look back at 22 reasons why Miller and the Wildcats have had the best offseason ever:
Arizona associate head coach Joe Pasternack is interviewing for the vacant UNC Wilmington job, according to WCET Sports of Wilmington, N.C.
Pasternack's name has already surfaced twice for jobs at Cal (in 2014 and 2017), while he also attracted interest from UNLV last year. Pasternack has head coaching experience at the University of New Orleans and is a well-respected recruiter with strong ties in California and Europe.
Earlier this month, Kevin Keatts left Wilmington to become the head coach at N.C. State after leading the Seahawks to two straight NCAA Tournaments.
Markkanen was named a third-team all-American by the Associated Press on March 28, one of a record four Pac-12 players who made one of the AP’s three five-man teams.
UCLA guard Lonzo Ball was named to the first team along with Kansas’ Frank Mason, Villanova’s Josh Hart, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and North Carolina’s Justin Jackson.
Oregon’s Dillon Brooks made the second team, along with Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss, Baylor’s Johnathan Motley, Duke’s Luke Kennard and Kentucky’s Malik Monk of Kentucky.
Joining Markkanen and Washington’s Markelle Fultz on the third team were Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ.
CHICAGO — Already the highest-rated signee in Arizona basketball history, DeAndre Ayton also showed a side of him on March 29 that UA coach Sean Miller is bound to love.
This is how Ayton described the West’s 109-107 win over the East in the McDonald’s All American Game:
“The bottom line just to win games,” said Ayton, who had eight points and 11 rebounds for the West. “The East team was competitive, they have the intensity, but we locked in on defense and rebounding and we got the win.”
Defense and rebounding.
Boring to talk about sometimes, but it works — even in an all-star game, the kind of competition that is usually known for offense more than anything.
Ayton’s friend and West teammate Brandon McCoy bought into it, too.
Then he lived it.
With the West trying to protect its 109-107 lead throughout the final minute, McCoy blocked a pair of shots from the East within the last seven seconds.
The first was a skillful layup attempt from Collin Sexton, then McCoy stopped Trevon Duval from putting in a desperation shot just before the buzzer.
“I didn’t really think of how big of a play it was. I just wanted to make the right play,” McCoy said. “I didn’t necessarily go into the game for defense but I just wanted to play the game the right way. And I was just blessed to be in position to block that shot. Collin is a great player.”
McCoy had 13 points, three rebounds, four steals and four blocks.
Ayton was 4 for 10, but missed all three 3-pointers he tried.
Defense, and rebounding. The West out-rebounded the East 63-46 and kept the East to just 13 percent shooting from 3-point range.
While Ayton started and McCoy came off the bench for the West team, they both took care of the inside. The second team also included UCLA commit Jaylen Hands, who added two steals.
“It was a lot of defense in the second group,” McCoy said. “I feel we came out with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to prove that we were supposed to start and we did that. We seemed to play harder.
“I did get hit pretty hard a couple of times (on offense). But you know what? I got back and ran on defense. I just tried to be in the right position at the right time.”
None of the West players logged more than 22 minutes, though, with West coast Gary DeCesare trying to keep it even. In fact, when DeCesare was asked about his strategy in the last-second defensive situation, he said that was secondary.
“Subbing was the hardest,” DeCesare said. “I’m trying to get the same amount of time. All the guys were really talented.”
Michael Porter Jr., the onetime Washington signee who flipped to Missouri after Lorenzo Romar was fired at UW earlier this month, was named the game’s MVP after collecting 17 points and eight rebounds.
Porter and Ayton have generally been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the class of 2017, making their appearance together more compelling.
Then again, the way Ayton described it, the entire week was compelling for the players: The McDonald’s players went at each other for three practices and a scrimmage before Wednesday’s game was even played.
“This is the best against the best,” he said. “You have to be conditioning for these dudes because they are coming after you. The competitiveness is through the roof.”
After all that, 20 minutes of game time on the United Center floor before ESPN cameras was cake for Ayton.
“It was much easier,” he said of Wednesday’s game. “All that physicality in practice, you got used to it. You got used to the competitive levels in the last two days.”
And, as much as anything, it was fun. McCoy called Ayton a “brother” who used to live in the same San Diego house with him before Ayton moved to Phoenix in 2015 to play for Hillcrest Prep.
“We haven’t seen each other in a while,” Ayton said. “I know his game and he knows mine and we’ve just been going at it ever since eighth grade. Everything we do, we just make each other better.”
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Back in December, as Arizona prepped for a late-night tipoff against UC Irvine, UA coach Sean Miller walked into McKale Center donning a T-shirt that made Finnish freshman Lauri Markkanen smile.
The shirt had "a lot of Finnish words" on it, Markkanen said.
"I thought it was pretty funny," he said.
Markkanen smiled while thinking of that memory, and his adjustment to college basketball. Markkanen declared for the NBA draft on March 30, flanked by his father, Pekka, and Miller. He'll spend the next few weeks in Finland, his first time home since he moved more than 5,000 miles from Jyvaskyla to Tucson. It will be a brief but much-needed respite after a long basketball season that, Markkanen admits, ended too early.
"Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine," Markkanen said, "so I'm happy and excited to announce that I've declared for the NBA draft."
Markkanen has spent most of his lone season at Arizona projected as a first-round pick, rising as high as the top 10. DraftExpress currently projects Markkanen as the No. 8 pick in the first round. The 7-footer showed flashes of greatness during his one season as a Wildcat, averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range.
Miller said he had a feeling he was coaching his latest one-and-done NBA prospect. Markkanen is the fourth freshman in the Miller era to declare early, following Grant Jerrett (2013), Aaron Gordon (2014) and Stanley Johnson (2015).
Arizona is still awaiting NBA decisions from freshmen Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins and sophomore Allonzo Trier. Miller said on March 30 that they'll "deal with those guys individually." Simmons, for one, is expected to leave.
Miller said the inevitability of Markkanen's departure doesn't make it any easier to handle.
"I've been up here with a number of guys and it's obviously a bittersweet moment for these guys," Miller said. "I think it's a dream come true in many ways and yet it feels like this guy right here just got here."
Miller said he supports Markkanen's decision "100 percent" and mentioned that feedback from NBA executives indicated that he would be a high draft pick.
It's not hard to see why.
Markkanen is a 7-footer who can shoot. He led the Wildcats in both 3-point shooting and rebounding, and finished second, to Trier, in scoring. Markkanen was first-team All Pac-12; The Associated Press recently named him a third team All-American.
"It's been a unbelievable year," Markkanen said. "I had so much fun."
Added Miller: "It's bittersweet today, anytime you see anyone realize his dreams and you recognize the bright bright future he has in this game, I'm just happy we were a part of it. He gave us a lot, and hopefully on our end we've given him some things we can always remember."
Markkanen made the decision a few days after returning to Tucson following last week's Sweet 16 loss to Xavier.
"I was hoping all season that it (the NBA) would happen," he added, "but I tried to concentrate on basketball and winning as many games as possible."
Pekka Markkanen said his son has yet to pick an agent. Before Markknanen, the only Finnish basketball player to play in the NBA was Hanno Mottola, a Utah alum who spent two seasons in the league.
Mottola was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks, Markkanen is considered a lock to be Finland's highest-ever drafted player.
"It's an amazing feeling, but hopefully there's more to come from Finland and I think that's going to happen," he said.
Pekka Markkanen only recently accepted that his son will likely be a first-round draft pick.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm too pessimistic; I have tried to learn to find positive things to tell," he said. "It's been pleasant to see."
When Markkanen arrived in Arizona, he didn't know much about the Wildcats, about the culture in the Old Pueblo. His English wasn't great, and he was a little shy.
"I think I got better at small talk," he said, smiling. "Finnish people are little bit more shy, but I just really enjoyed the year."
Shortly after his press conference, Markkanen recorded the latest video entry for Arizona's intro video that plays before all home games at McKale Center.
Soon, he'll be back on his way to Finland, then, soon, to New York for the draft. He'll hear his name called.
"He'll be, for our fans, they'll be proud of him like they were proud of Steve Kerr and Aaron Gordon and all the great players who have come through here," Miller said. "They'll watch him for many, many years, in my opinion, be successful in the NBA."
Added Markkanen: "I'm looking forward to it, it's a big step and a big challenge for me and I'm ready to go and do my best."
When UC Santa Barbara officials introduced Joe Pasternack as the Gauchos’ new coach on April 4, they noted his varied experiences, recruiting connections and the detailed practice notes he took under Bob Knight as a student at Indiana.
Then Pasternack talked a lot about Sean Miller, his boss since 2011 at Arizona.
“The past six years at Arizona have been the best six years of my life,” Pasternack said, working with “someone I consider a very, very close friend, a brother, and someone who has really taught me how to run a comprehensive program.
“Coach Miller has not only produced players at a high level, but also assistant coaches. His system has been duplicated (by other former UA assistants) at Ball State, Xavier and Dayton with an incredible amount of success. We hope to do the same here at UCSB.”
Pasternack also said he wanted to make UCSB a “players-first program,” while “honoring the process” and, not surprisingly, emphasizing defense and rebounding.
All those are core Miller beliefs, and they’ll come with Pasternack’s famously dogged work ethic, too.
“My energy, competitiveness and passion will bleed through every aspect of this program,” Pasternack said.
Miller probably wouldn’t doubt that. In a statement Arizona issued via Twitter, Miller said Pasternack impacted the UA program positively at every level.
“His recruiting ability, on-the-floor coaching and game planning was matched only by his relentless, competitive spirit every day,” Miller said in the statement. “As a head coach, he will passionately build UCSB into the champions of the Big West Conference in a matter of time.”
Pasternack, 39, joined the Arizona staff in 2011 after Miller’s brother, Archie, left to become Dayton’s head coach. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2013 when James Whitford left Arizona to take over Ball State.
In recent years, Pasternack has not only scouted many of the UA’s toughest opponents but added some key international recruiting connections to the California ties that he began building as a Cal staffer. Pasternack worked under former Bears coach Ben Braun from 2001-07.
Pasternack has a strong connection to the well-regarded Oakland Soldiers travel ball program, which sent Aaron Gordon, Stanley Johnson and Brandon Ashley to the UA, while he made inroads in the recruitment of Serbia’s Dusan Ristic and Finland’s Lauri Markkanen.
USCB athletic director John McCutcheon cited Pasternack’s “extensive contacts” while he and Pasternack talked about upgrading recruiting.
Pasternack told the assembled media and fans at his news conference that UA’s frontline included players from Finland, Serbia and Australia (Keanu Pinder) while also noting Santa Barbara’s location on California’s central coast will be attractive to in-state players.
“The distance from home is the No. 1 decision criteria for any parent, family member or coach,” Pasternack said. “The good news for that is we’re in the state of California, where there’s more talent than any state in the country. We’re going to recruit the state of California from Sacramento to San Diego very hard.”
Once he gets the players there, Pasternack said he will have a daily plan of development that — not surprisingly — is also like Arizona’s.
“Sean Miller has a comprehensive system, from academics to skill development on offense and defense, and a recruiting plan he really believes in,” Pasternack said. “He is consumed in every manner of the program. That’s what I learned.”
The annual wave of way-too-early Top 25 rankings has hit — despite the ever-increasing level of roster change in the spring — and three news organizations have the Wildcats atop their list.
Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and USA Today all have Arizona ranked No. 1, with most of them appearing to be based on the idea that Kobi Simmons will join Lauri Markkanen in pro basketball, while Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins may not.
Yahoo has UA No. 2, saying that a Trier return probably makes them No. 1, while ESPN has the Wildcats No. 11 and FanRag No. 9.
Interesting to note how many of them are suggesting USC might be the second-place pick in the Pac-12 next season (if the Trojans can keep guys from leaving early): The Trojans are No. 11 in USA Today's poll, 13 in SI and FanRag, and 14 in Yahoo's picks.
Kobi Simmons’ short and inconsistent Arizona basketball career is officially over.
Arizona announced the long-expected decision of the former McDonald’s All-American to leave as a freshman for professional basketball late on April 5, after he dropped to the end of the UA playing rotation over the final month of the season.
His decision came on the same afternoon that Scout.com reported forward Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft without signing with an agent, an option that allows all underclassmen to get feedback from pro officials and return to school by May 24, if desired.
Simmons, a supremely athletic 6-foot-5-inch guard from Atlanta, started in 19 games and was a major factor in wins over Michigan State in Hawaii and at UCLA. But he lost his starting job to Allonzo Trier on Feb. 8 and slipped further down the bench afterward.
Simmons played just six minutes in UA’s regular-season finale at Arizona State and averaged 6.3 minutes a game between the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments. That includes a 14-minute appearance in Arizona’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over North Dakota; he played the final minute alongside four walk-ons.
Simmons averaged 8.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Still, he’s projected as a second-round NBA Draft pick because of his size, athleticism and shooting skills. Draft Express projects he will be taken at No. 51, toward the end of the second round.
While Simmons spoke generally about his role during the NCAA Tournament — saying during the first weekend that he was “just playing hard and doing my job” — other interpretations have been offered.
“He’s looked highly dejected and clearly not on the same page with the coaching staff, which is particularly surprising considering his track-record going into college,” Draft Express president Jonathan Givony wrote on March 23. “NBA scouts like Simmons’ talent level but have major concerns about his intangibles, especially considering how much development he still needs in terms of his skill level and basketball IQ.”
Givony also noted that the NBA’s new “two-way” contract will allow him to “make some decent money while the team that picks him evaluates if he can get his act together in the D-League.”
Two-way contracts essentially allow NBA teams a 16th and 17th spot for players to be mostly assigned to their D-League affiliates with the ability to be shuttled back and forth for a maximum of 45 days in the NBA. They are expected to earn players between $50,000 and $75,000, more than double a typical D-League salary.
Arizona’s announcement of Simmons’ departure was quiet in contrast to the way it handled freshman forward Lauri Markkanen’s departure last week. UA held a 10 a.m. news conference on March 30 for Markkanen and streamed it online, timing it for prime-time viewing in Europe.
Simmons’ announcement was delivered by email after 4:30 p.m. April 5.
“Kobi Simmons, with the support of his family, has decided to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft,” UA coach Sean Miller said in the school’s statement. “All of us here at Arizona thank him for his freshman season and wish him continued success as he pursues his professional career.”
In UA’s statement, Simmons said he enjoyed his time at Arizona and thanked his teammates, coaches, and UA fans. He later elaborated on Twitter.
“We’ve grown as brothers through the wars we have been through with everything,” Simmons wrote of his UA teammates. “I am blessed to have the year that I’ve had this season. I would like to thank the fans for all of their support they have given us throughout the year. I would love to thank the people who support me and I would love to thank the haters for motivating me even more!
“With that being said my family and I have decided to make the best decision for me and my future and I have decided to enter the 2017 NBA Draft. Blessed to have this amazing opportunity!”
Arizona confirmed reserve center Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft without hiring an agent.
He'll have until May 24, 10 days after the NBA Draft Combine, to decide if he wants to return. But it's not clear if he'll get an invitation to the combine, since there are only 60 spots.
“I am excited about the opportunity to explore my NBA options, gather information and dedicate the next month to reaching my goals of becoming an NBA player,” Comanche said in a UA statement. “At the conclusion of this process, my family and I will make the best decision for my future both on and off the court. I also want to thank coach (Sean) Miller and the Arizona staff for supporting my decision.”
Comanche is not projected to be among the 60 players taken in the 2017 or 2018 drafts by Draft Express, but the scouting website said before last season that his size, length and athleticism are projectable to the pro level.
Comanche averaged 18.1 minutes and started two games last season, and is expected to play a backup role again next season behind Dusan Ristic and DeAndre Ayton if he returns. Moreover, Keanu Pinder gained some momentum in the rotation toward the end of last season as a power forward to be used in smaller frontcourt matchups.
The NCAA last year extended the deadline from mid-April until 10 days after the Combine, allowing players to theoretically get a better idea of where they stand before deciding whether or not to leave school.
Freshman wing Rawle Alkins declared for the NBA Draft on April 12, meaning half of the Wildcats’ would-be returning rotation players are now committed to going pro or testing the waters.
And that’s not even including wing Allonzo Trier, who hasn’t said anything one way or another yet.
Alkins posted a note on the morning of April 12 on Twitter that said he would declare for the draft without hiring an agent, which gives him the option to return to school by May 24 if he chooses do so.
Sophomore reserve center Chance Comanche is also declaring without hiring an agent, while departing freshmen Lauri Markkanen and Kobi Simmons have made irrevocable decisions to leave.
“I want to be sure that I am making the right decision,” Alkins wrote, “so after much thought, I have decided to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft without signing with an agent. #SAVAGELIFE.”
A 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound wing with a solid all-around game, Alkins appears to have an uphill battle to prove himself worthy of a guaranteed NBA contract. Going in the first round would earn him a guaranteed two-year contract worth seven figures, while high second-round selections can typically negotiate at least a modest six-figure guarantee on their own.
Alkins is projected as mid second-round pick in 2018 by Draft Express, and a late first-round pick in 2018 by nbadraft.net. Draft Express analyst Mike Schmitz told the Star’s Zack Rosenblatt last month that Alkins might benefit from more college experience.
“He has the strength and he has the length,” Schmitz said. “He’s a good athlete in transition, but in the halfcourt, when the floor is shrunk, he’s a heavy kid so it’s tough for that to translate. He’s not a jet with the ball.
“He’s going to need to continue to improve his skill level, become a knockdown shooter and really carve out a niche because I think he can do a little bit of everything, but he maybe doesn’t have an elite NBA skill yet, which is OK.”
Of UA’s other draft prospects, Markkanen is an expected lottery pick while Simmons is a projected second-round pick and Comanche is not projected to be drafted. UA has lost an increasing number of players early who wind up outside the 30 first-round picks: Brandon Ashley went undrafted as a junior in 2015, Nick Johnson went No. 42 as a junior in 2014 and Grant Jerrett went No. 40 as a freshman in 2013.
Alkins announced the decision on his own via Twitter instead of through the standard UA channels, like Comanche, Markkanen and Simmons did. UA held a March 30 news conference to announce Markkanen’s decision to leave, issued an April 5 news release saying Simmons would go and an April 8 news release saying Comanche will test the draft.
The NCAA last year started giving underclassmen an extra six weeks to decide whether or not to leave before losing their eligibility, and that change is hitting the Wildcats hard this spring. The UA coaching staff now might not know until late May whether or not Alkins and Comanche will return, and Trier may also take a while to decide.
Five-star Michigan wing Brian Bowen, a UA recruiting target, has said he’s waiting to see how his prospective schools’ rosters fill out before he makes a decision. Bowen is believed to be particularly watching Trier’s decision.
Playing only half a season with the Arizona Wildcats as a sophomore, Allonzo Trier has plans to make up for it as a junior.
The Wildcats’ leading scorer said on April 13 that he would return next season instead of declaring for the NBA draft, all but assuring UA will remain in the national title conversation even as teammates Rawle Alkins and Chance Comanche consider turning pro.
Individually, Trier will get to take a crack at all-American and Pac-12 player of the year honors, too.
He responded on April 13 to a tweet suggesting he could even be national player of the year in 2017-18, by tweeting “on it.” When another person later tweeted “Hope @iso_zo dominates next season,” Trier responded with confidence.
“Hope lol?” Trier wrote. “You ain’t gotta hope my dude.”
Trier did not issue a definitive statement on Twitter or via UA, and he could not be reached locally for comment, but he was in touch with ESPN and Scout about his decision. He told ESPN he wanted to continue with his “original goal” of winning a national championship.
Trier’s mother, Marcie, told the Star via text message that her son never left the Wildcats and is “all in” for next season.
“He is committed to bringing home a national championship,” she said. “He loves his teammates and his fans.”
Trier reacted similarly last season while deciding to stay in Tucson instead of declaring for the NBA draft, saying he was excited about “the quest to become a complete player.” He then drew praise for his over-the-top offseason work from UA coach Sean Miller.
“He invested from the second he said he was coming back to Arizona in all the things you’d want him to invest in,” Miller said last August. “His body, his waist, his body fat — he looks like a different person, and that’s through hard work. It is an obsession for him to become a great player, and it’s so fun to be around him because he is maturing.”
However, Trier’s sophomore season was grounded when he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug in the preseason. He later said the result came because he was unknowingly given a banned substance by a “well-intentioned but misguided” person after suffering an injury.
The suspension put Trier under a cloud of uncertainty for three months, with the UA refusing to say why he was out. Trier finally admitted the PED result in mid-January, two days before he was cleared to return.
Trier said he grew from the experience, not only because he couldn’t play for a reason he said was not his fault, but also from “always being hassled about it” wherever he went.
“It was kind of a lonely moment, a low feeling,” Trier said during the Pac-12 tournament. “It’s something nobody can describe. You just feel kind of on your own. I was just thankful to have my family have my back, and the coaching staff and the team.”
Trier made his debut in what became the Wildcats’ best regular-season win, at UCLA on Jan. 21. He came off the bench for the next four games then jumped back into the starting lineup on Feb. 8 against Stanford. He wound up leading the Wildcats in scoring with an average of 17.2 points, while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point territory and 81.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Trier’s decision to stay means Arizona will have at least four members of its nine-man rotation back, along with a top-five recruiting class led by forward/center DeAndre Ayton.
The Wildcats could add another high school signee or transfer this spring. Coaches are pursuing, among others, five-star Delaware point guard Trevon Duval, five-star Michigan wing Brian Bowen, Pitt grad transfer forward Cameron Johnson and Rice transfer guard Marcus Evans.
Arizona has one scholarship available as of now, and more if either Alkins or Comanche do not return. They have both declared for the NBA draft without signing with an agent, meaning they’ll have the option of returning to school until May 24.
While Bowen said two weeks ago he’s waiting to see how rosters shake out before deciding between Arizona, Michigan State and Creighton, the decisions of Trier and Michigan State’s Miles Bridges to stay in school could make it difficult.
Bowen told New York recruiting reporter Adam Zagoria this week that Oregon, Missouri and Ohio State have reached out lately “because they know I’m not committed.”
At a public gathering in East Lansing, Michigan, on April 13, Bridges told a group of about 1,000 fans that he wanted “to finish business here.” His decision was more of a surprise than Trier’s, since he was considered a potential lottery pick who could have commanded a guaranteed contract worth at least $4 million.
Draft Express projects Trier as the No. 35 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, just five spots below the first round where seven-figure, two-year contracts are guaranteed. Alkins is listed at No. 47 in 2018 while Comanche is not in Draft Express’ 2017 or 2018 mocks.
Arizona announced on April 14 that center Dusan Ristic would rejoin the Wildcats for his senior season, assuring the UA of at least two returning starters in 2017-18.
The 7-foot Serbian isn’t currently projected as an NBA draft pick, but he has improved every season and has always had the option of signing a lucrative deal in Europe.
Though Ristic gave no indication during the season that he was considering a departure, he went through an information-gathering process this spring before making his decision.
“It is important to me to return to finish my education and complete my goals as a player,” Ristic said in a statement he and the UA released on Twitter. “The support of my coaches, teammates, and the Arizona fans has been amazing throughout my three years in Tucson. I look forward to competing for championships during my final season in McKale Center.”
The UA didn’t issue a news release about Ristic’s return but attached statements from Ristic and UA coach Sean Miller to a tweet that said the program can’t wait to see him play in 2017-18.
“We are excited to welcome Dusan back for his senior year,” Miller said in his statement. “There are very few players that have improved more over a three-year period at Arizona than he has. This is a tribute to his tireless work ethic, love of the game and his amazing desire to improve.”
The news comes one day after Allonzo Trier told national media he was returning to Arizona. The UA issued a statement from Miller saying he was thrilled to have one of “the premier players in college basketball” returning.
“We appreciated the manner in which Allonzo and his family handled this decision,” Miller said. “Not just because he is returning to Arizona, but because they valued all of the information given to them. Now he will be able to return to our program to address his weaknesses, add to his many strengths and have the opportunity to greatly improve his future on the basketball court and beyond.”
The decisions of Trier and Ristic to stay follow the decisions of forward Lauri Markkanen and Kobi Simmons to leave for pro ball, while Rawle Alkins and Chance Comanche are testing the NBA draft process without hiring an agent.
Alkins and Comanche have until May 24 to return to school if they want. A new NCAA rule last season allowed players to take until 10 days after the end of the NBA Combine to decide to return.
In different Jordan Brand Classic games on April 14 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Arizona signees DeAndre Ayton and Brandon Randolph made their mark.
Ayton had 19 points and eight rebounds (seven on the offensive end) in the West's 124-116 win over the East in the national game. Earlier in the "regional" game, Randolph had 32 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes.
Kind of makes you wonder how Randolph might have done in the marquee game.
USA Today High School Sports said Randolph actually had to play often inside despite being a 6-6 wing, and Randolph said afterward he hoped to bulk up before playing for the Wildcats. (Certainly, this brings a smile to Chris Rounds' face).
It's about “just getting my body ready,” Randolph told USA Today. “I know that once I get my body right, I’ll be ready to compete at the next level.”
Of the national game, Rivals' Eric Bossi wrote that Ayton played the best he has on the all-star circuit, "being active on the glass and committed to playing strong on the interior."
Adam Zagoria posted some video highlights, where Ayton is shown in No. 9 dunking over teammate Mohamed Bamba, of all people...
Arizona formally announced the hiring of former Washington coach Lorenzo Romar as an associate head coach on April 15.
Romar, who was fired at Washington last month after going 298-196 over 15 seasons as the Huskies' head coach, will replace Joe Pasternack, who left to become UC Santa Barbara's head coach on April 4.
Almost immediately after Pasternack left, Romar was believed to be Miller's top choice if he wanted the job. However, the opening had to be posted for 10 days under UA regulations.
Romar, 58, is expected to receive a salary at least in the mid-six-figure range, and is receiving a $3.2 million buyout from Washington. Pasternack made $302,000 as UA's associate head coach.
"Of all the potential opportunities that were out there for me, joining the Arizona program was the one that was most appealing," Romar said in a UA statement. "I truly believe Sean Miller is one of the best coaches in America. The opportunity to join him, his staff and the rich tradition of Arizona basketball is something that I'm extremely excited about."
Although Washington and Arizona were among the Pac-12's biggest rivals early in Miller's UA tenure, Romar and Miller have had a close and respectful coaching relationship especially since they worked with USA Basketball's junior teams in 2014 and 2015. Miller was an assistant to the U18 team in 2014 and head coach of the U19 team in 2015, while Romar was a member of the junior national team committee.
"Lorenzo's accomplishments in this game speak for themselves, including his successful tenure as the head coach at Washington for the last 15 seasons," Miller said in a UA statement. "However, his dedication to his players, passion for this game and impeccable character is what everybody that knows him loves about him. He will no doubt make a significant impact in all aspects of our basketball program as we continue to build and improve in all that we do."
UA's leading scorer, Allonzo Trier, appeared to be especially excited about the news. A native of Seattle who attended Romar's camps early in his elementary school years, Trier tweeted out a series of upbeat emojis along with this: "ROMAR!!!!!!!!!!"
Romar was known at Washington for recruiting and developing much of the top-level talent in the Northwest. He had 13 players become NBA Draft picks but often watched many of them leave early for the NBA, and in many cases before they were expected to leave.
Last season, Romar coached guard Markelle Fultz, who is likely to be one of the top two draft picks, but the Huskies were just 9-22 overall and 2-16 in the Pac-12.
Before arriving at Washington in 2002-03, Romar spent three seasons apiece as the head coach at Pepperdine (1996-99) and Saint Louis (1999-2002). He played at Washington and for five seasons in the NBA.
Kadeem Allen had an efficient three games in the Portsmouth Invitational, averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 48.1 percent from the field (13 of 27) and 50 percent (4 of 8) from 3-point range. He also averaged 3.0 assists to 2.0 turnovers and 1.3 steals in 26.7 minutes per game.
Here's a look at his stats in each game:
• Game 1: 16 points (6-10 FGs, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FTs), 7 rebounds (3 offensive, 4 defensive), 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals, 29 minutes.
• Game 2: 9 points (3-5 FGs, 1-2 3PT, 2-3 FTs), 5 rebounds (2 offensive, 3 defensive), 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block, 22 minutes.
• Game 3: 13 points (4-12 FGs, 0-1 3PT, 5-5 FTs), 5 rebounds (1 offensive, 4 defensive), 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 block, 1 steal, 29 minutes.
Lorenzo Romar isn't sure exactly when Allonzo Trier started showing up at his Washington basketball camps. But there’s one memory of those days he probably won’t forget.
That’s when Trier used his back as a backboard.
"I remember I felt something hit my back, and it was the ball," Romar said, estimating Trier was then in fourth grade, around 10 years old. "He threw it at me, then got it back and he had a big grin on his face, like 'Come and take it from me.'"
Romar said Trier was already one of his best campers at that point. Of all ages.
"He had a great passion for basketball," Romar said. "As a fourth-grader he was almost as good as the 11th graders."
Romar will get a chance to start working with Trier again in offseason workouts this month and there's no doubt Trier is happy about that. Romar says he’ll go to work immediately this week for Arizona and hit the road recruiting this weekend.
Four-star Southern California 2018 power forward Shareef O'Neal has committed to the Arizona Wildcats, according to an early-morning tweet from his travel club.
O'Neal, the son of former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, retweeted a congratulations for the decision by his California Supreme team that was posted at 1:44 a.m. on April 19. He tweeted out his own announcement at 8:06 a.m.
He had also been considering USC, UCLA, Kentucky and his father's former school, LSU, before it fired coach Johnny Jones.
"My father never said you should do this, you should do that. So I'm gonna let him make his decision," Shaq told ESPN in January. "LSU, Kentucky, Arizona. He's getting a lot of letters. A couple of weeks ago, he got his book with all his letters, I got my book with all my letters. It's a great feeling. But I'm gonna let him make the final decision."
O'Neal has a different game than his physically powerful father: He's a 6-foot-9, 200-pound forward who can play facing the basket. He told the Star in Las Vegas last July that Shaq called him a "stretch four or five."
Shareef and Shaquille visited Arizona for the Wildcats' Nov. 18 game with Sacred Heart last season. He said in July he wanted to pay attention to how the Wildcats play, and was apparently impressed.
“I’ve been to Arizona for an unofficial visit and the campus was great, the coaches treated us like family,” O’Neal told Rivals recently. “I know they let their bigs shoot and play the perimeter and that’s the kind of thing I like."
The Cal Supreme team has many ties to the Wildcats. Former UA standout Miles Simon has coached for them, while current guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright played for the club as has incoming UA freshman DeAndre Ayton.
O'Neal also plays during the school year with incoming UA forward Ira Lee at Crossroads School of Santa Monica, Calif., and told the Star he is "like a cousin" of former UA walk-on Quentin Crawford, whose father has been Shaq’s bodyguard and longtime close friend.
O'Neal becomes the Wildcats' second commitment from the class of 2018, after Emmanuel Akot committed last month. Arizona is also still recruiting for the class of 2017, with at least one spot still available.
On April 19, the UA held the "CATSYS," its athletic department awards show, in McKale Center.
Former UA forward Lauri Markkanen was named UA’s male freshman of the year during the awards ceremony, although he is at home in Finland and did not attend. Softball player Jessie Harper was named female freshman of the year.
Among the other top honors, All-America shot putter Aaron Castle was named the top senior male student-athlete while volleyball’s Penina Snuka and softball’s Katiyana Mauga shared senior women’s student-athlete honors.
Golfer Wanasa Zhou was named the athletic department’s valedictorian, currently holding a 3.98 GPA as an accounting major.
Of the top juniors, runner Claire Green was named top female and swimmer Justin Wright top male. Of the sophomores, baseball catcher Cesar Salazar was named top male and golfer Haley Moore top female.
Lorenzo Romar will be hitting the road to recruit for Arizona this weekend, and he won’t be focused just on his old backyard.
“It was never communicated to me by coach (Sean) Miller that `We’re bringing you in because we want you to get the Seattle kids,’ “ the former Washington coach said during his introductory news conference April 20 at McKale Center.
However, Romar will be recruiting up and down the West Coast, so some contact in Seattle will be inevitable. The Wildcats and Huskies may even go up against the same targets in many cases; Jaylen Nowell appeared to already be one before he reaffirmed his signing with Washington earlier this week.
“It will be a different experience,” Romar said. “There’s no doubt about that. But anybody would understand we’re all trying to be the best we can be.”
Romar has already experienced plenty of difficult and awkward moments in recruiting – that is, each time he called the members of his heralded 2017 recruiting class – most of which dissipated after his firing last month.
“None of those were fun conversations,” Romar said. “I talked to all of them. I tried to encourage them that they had something special going. I would try to get a feel for what they were thinking at the time.”
Romar said he was impressed with the “kind of character” Miller has been targeting in his recruiting and that he hoped he could help wherever needed. With Joe Pasternack having taken his California recruiting ties to UC Santa Barbara, it is clear that Romar will be needed in the West.
“They do a phenomenal job in recruiting,” Romar said. “We recruited against them (at Washington) and you hear how the kids talk about the Arizona program and the coaching staff, and how they go about their business. It’s really impressive. I’m coming in here with the attitude of whatever I can do to help and make sure Arizona basketball at last stays where it’s at and hopefully try to get it even better. Whatever I can do to do that, I’m gonna try to do.”
Kadeem Allen’s strong performance in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament earlier this month has paid off, earning the departing Arizona senior an invite to the NBA Combine next month in Chicago.
Only 70 players typically participate in front of key NBA scouts at the combine, and some top international players do not play, so those without invitations face long odds to become one of the 60 NBA Draft picks.
While Allen wasn’t available for comment Friday, Allen’s mother, Bernadette, said her son called to tell her that he had been invited. The NBA has not yet released its complete list of participants for the May 9-14 combine.
Allen was UA’s veteran leader and top defender last season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. But he further opened some eyes in the seniors-only Portsmouth tournament, averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 48.1 percent and playing strong defense.
“I thought he really helped himself,” said Jonathan Givony, president of the Draft Express scouting site. “I thought he played great.”
The NBA has guaranteed that a minimum of five players from Portsmouth will be awarded spots in the NBA Combine.
Allen is not projected to be drafted but is ranked the No. 73 overall NBA prospect by Draft Express.
UA freshman Rawle Alkins has been invited to the NBA Combine next month in Chicago, while it’s unknown if UA sophomore Chance Comanche was.
Only 70 players typically participate in front of key NBA scouts at the combine, and some top international players do not play, so those without invitations face long odds to become one of the 60 NBA Draft picks.
Alkins and Comanche have declared for the draft without signing with an agent, meaning they have until May 24 to return to Arizona if they want.
UA freshman Lauri Markkanen, meanwhile, is certain to be invited but it’s unclear whether he will participate in any form. The Finnish forward is a projected lottery pick with little to gain from playing in the combine.
Draft Express lists Alkins at No. 47 in its 2018 Mock Draft, while Comanche is not listed.
Arizona freshman Kobi Simmons has been invited to the NBA Combine, giving the Wildcats at least three representatives in the critical predraft camp.
Since Simmons has signed with an agent and is projected to be a second-round pick, he was expected to be invited. The Combine usually has 70 participants, while there are only 60 spots in the NBA Draft.
Simmons played key roles in two of UA's biggest wins last season — against Michigan State in Hawaii and at UCLA — but largely fell out of the rotation in the final month of the season. He averaged 8.7 points while starting 19 of 37 games, losing his starting job to Allonzo Trier on Feb. 8.
A former five-star recruit from Atlanta, Simmons is projected as the No. 55 pick in the June NBA Draft according to Draft Express.
In preparation for the draft, Simmons has been working out with trainer Ganon Baker.
UA sophomore Chance Comanche has not been invited at this point, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, though sometimes there are late additions.
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