Amongst Tucson's Spanish speakers, Arizona freshman forward from Senegal feels at ease

After nearly an hour of signing posters, jerseys, basketballs and even a cast at the El Pueblo Activity Center, Arizona freshman Sidi Gueye still had a smile plastered on his face when he was approached by one more fan.

“Español?” the fan asked.

“Sí! Sí!” Gueye said, gladly posing for a photograph.

It might have been one of the most comfortable off-court events so far in Tucson for the lanky 6-11 Senegalese freshman, a lifelong French speaker who also played for Real Madrid’s youth club and spent the past four years in Spain.

“Sí, con la gente!” Gueye said, confirming that he spoke Spanish to nearly everyone lined up for autographs, a line of roughly 1,000 people that circled the activity center, snaked around the entranceway and outside the front doors.

It was the fourth straight year the Wildcats have made a preseason appearance at El Pueblo, and while Spanish speakers Conrad Martinez and Henri Veesaar have left the Wildcats via the transfer portal, Gueye happily filled that void Wednesday evening.

Gueye hasn’t had it quite so easy in his Arizona classes so far. While he has already demonstrated a strong conversational level of English, he’s found the adjustment more difficult than when he moved to Spain knowing only French and a national language from Senegal.

“French is so close to Spanish, so I learned it in three weeks,” Gueye said. In UA classes, “I’m trying to understand what they say because they speak fast, but I’m trying to adapt.”

Good timing

Among the items Gueye and his teammates signed: a brand new cast over the left arm of Dianney Mejia, a seventh-grader at the Math and Science Academy who was hurt while working out with the Tucson Spartans basketball club.

Not only was Mejia grateful for the signatures, but also for the free tickets to the Red-Blue Showcase, of which UA provided 1,000 for attendees at Wednesday’s event.

“Can’t wait for the game,” she said.

Partnership grows

The El Pueblo event has been run since 2022 in conjunction with Arizona Bilingual News, which promotes the event on various platforms. An El Perro Loco food truck even set up shop outside for those waiting in line.

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“We want the people from the south side to be able to come to the red and blue basketball game because a lot of people are not able to buy tickets,” said Alma Gallardo, executive director of Arizona Bilingual News. “It’s getting bigger and bigger.”

Memory bank

Mike Armenta wore a green Cricket Wireless jersey Wednesday, since his company was sponsoring a booth at the event, but he has worn plenty of red and blue throughout his life.

Armenta said he has played in recent Lute Olson Fantasy Camps and, decades earlier, in Olson’s summer camps. He said he even once attended a similar event to get Sean Elliott’s autograph.

“This reminds me of my youth,” Armenta said.

Gardner’s a proud dad

UA coach Tommy Lloyd was out recruiting and unavailable for Wednesday’s event, but one of his staffers on hand has been experiencing the other side of college basketball recruiting.

Jason Gardner Jr., the son of UA player relations director Jason Gardner, has grown into a high-major prospect who was placed at No. 26 in 247’s player rankings for the class of 2027 while playing for Fishers (Indiana) High School and the Indiana Elite Adidas-circuit club.

The elder Gardner, who gave out a signed basketball raffle prize Wednesday evening, said his son has already taken unofficial visits to Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Ohio State — with plans to visit many of them officially, as well as Kentucky, and possibly Florida and Louisville.

Gardner, who said it was “amazing” to see his son go through the recruiting process, said he wasn’t sure his son would reach the level he has — a level Gardner reached out of Indianapolis’ North Central High School when he committed to the Wildcats in 1998.

“You just never know,” Gardner said of his son. “You’re hoping that he keeps elevating his game, keeps working on his game. I tell him, ‘Even though this is happening, you still have to keep working. You’ve still got to stay grateful, mindful and keep your grades up.’ But he’s a coach’s son. He kind of grew up in it.”

Jason Gardner Jr., attended Arizona’s game at Cincinnati last season, but he is not believed to be a UA recruiting target at this point.

“I haven’t really talked to Tommy about it,” Gardner said. “I think it’s kind of just letting it play out and just see what happens.”