Recruiting machine: Sean Miller's 5 best classes with the Arizona Wildcats

Dominic Baciocco
Mar 24, 2018
Mar 24, 2018 Updated Apr 7, 2021

Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller has long been one of the country's leading recruiters. Since he took over the Wildcats in 2009, the UA has reeled in seven top-10 classes. While Miller tries to scrap together a class for 2018, the Star went ahead and ranked his top five performances on the recruiting trail at Arizona.

5. 2016-17

Best Arizona basketball photos (copy) — Arizona'a Rawle Alkins (1) celebrates with forward Lauri Markkanen as the Wildcats pulled away late against Saint Mary's in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

National class rank: 9th

Recruiting class:

Rawle Alkins, guard, five stars

Kobi Simmons, guard, five stars

Lauri Markkanen, forward, four stars

Keanu Pinder, forward, transfer

Dylan Smith, guard, transfer

Talbott Denny, forward, transfer

Freshman stats (career in parenthesis):

Rawle Alkins: 10.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG (11.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.2 APG through two seasons)

Kobi Simmons: 8.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.0 APG (one season)

Lauri Markkanen: 15.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.9 APG (one season)

Keanu Pinder (as a junior): 2.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG (2.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG in two seasons)

Dylan Smith: Sat out season due to NCAA transfer rules. (4.3 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 1.1 APG through one season)

Talbott Denny: Missed season with ACL injury suffered over summer. (0.3 PPG in one season)

Analysis: Sean Miller's class of 2016 had two bright spots, with some potential for big contributions down the road. Lauri Markkanen played as advertised and led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16. It's no coincidence his lack of production — or even getting the ball — led to Arizona's demise in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The NBA lottery pick was among Miller's top recruits at Arizona. Rawle Alkins was the highest-rated recruit in the class at 21st in the country, and has been more than serviceable for two seasons. Alkins is a fringe first-round NBA selection in some mock drafts. Kobi Simmons opted for the draft after one season, but had potential to develop into something big at Arizona. He was rated the No. 26 recruit in the country, after all. Pinder gave Miller some valuable minutes off the bench, while Dylan Smith (entering his junior season in 2018-19) should start to see a spike in playing time. Expect big things from Smith if the Wildcats are to be competitive the next couple seasons.

4. 2009-10

Arizona defeats Duke in NCAA West Regional (copy) — Arizona's MoMo Jones and Derrick Williams rejoice as time winds down in Arizona's Sweet 16 matchup with Duke in 2011.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

National class rank: 6th

Recruiting class:

Derrick Williams, forward, four stars

Solomon Hill, forward, four stars

MoMo Jones, guard, four stars

Kevin Parrom, forward, four stars

Kyryl Natyazhko, center, four stars

Freshman stats (career in parenthesis):

Derrick Williams: 15.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG (17.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG in two seasons)

Solomon Hill: 6.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.7 APG (10.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.2 APG in four seasons)

MoMo Jones: 6.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.6 APG (8.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.7 APG in two seasons before transfer)

Kevin Parrom: 4.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.7 APG (6.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG in four seasons)

Kyryl Natyazhko: 1.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG (1.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG in three seasons)

Analysis: Sean Miller's first class at Arizona might best represent his magic as one of the nation's top recruiting gurus. Before Miller even coached a game at McKale Center, he brought in the country's sixth-best recruiting class which ranked second in the conference. Miller first scored Ukranian big man Kyryl Natyazhko, and Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom followed. Hill was a four-year Wildcat who was as reliable as any throughout his career, as was Kevin Parrom, Arizona's glue and a mainstay in the rotation. But it was a pair of former USC commits in Derrick Williams and MoMo Jones that helped set the tone.

3. 2014-15

Stanley Johnson (copy) — Arizona forward Stanley Johnson reacts while playing Xavier during a regional semifinal in the NCAA Tournament in 2015.
Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

National class rank: 3rd

Recruiting class:

Stanley Johnson, guard, five stars

Craig Victor, forward, four stars

Parker Jackson-Cartwright, guard, four stars

Dusan Ristic, center, three stars

Ryan Anderson, forward, transfer

Kadeem Allen, guard, transfer

Freshman stats (career in parenthesis):

Stanley Johnson: 13.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.7 APG (one season)

Craig Victor: 3.1 PPG, 1.1 RPG (one season before transfer)

Parker Jackson-Cartwright: 2.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.8 APG (5.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.4 APG in four seasons)

Dusan Ristic: 3.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG (8.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG in four seasons)

Ryan Anderson: Sat out season due to NCAA transfer rules. (15.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG in one season)

Kadeem Allen: Elected to redshirt his first season. (9.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.3 APG in two seasons)

Analysis: The class of 2014 would live up to its hype down the road, thanks to four-year players Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Dusan Ristic, and Boston College transfer Ryan Anderson. Stanley Johnson was the No. 3 recruit in the country and led the Wildcats in scoring before becoming the eighth overall pick to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA draft. Anderson led Arizona in scoring and rebounding a season later and was a large reason the Cats were even remotely competitive in 2015-16. Kadeem Allen and Jackson-Cartwright went on to replace T.J. McConnell at the point, the most important position in Sean Miller's system, and Ristic today holds the all-time wins record in program history.

2. 2012-13

Kaleb Tarczewski through the years (copy) — Arizona's Kaleb Tarczewski (35) lets out a roar and celebrates with Gabe York in the Wildcats' second-round game against Gonzaga in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

National class rank: 3rd

Recruiting class:

Brandon Ashley, forward, five stars

Kaleb Tarczewski, center, five stars

Grant Jerrett, forward, five stars

Gabe York, guard, four stars

Jacob Hazzard, guard, three stars

T.J. McConnell, guard, transfer

Mark Lyons, guard, grad transfer

Matt Korcheck, forward, transfer

Freshman stats (career in parenthesis):

Brandon Ashley: 7.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG (10.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG in three seasons)

Kaleb Tarczewski: 6.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG (8.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG in four seasons)

Grant Jerrett: 5.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG (one season)

Gabe York: 2.4 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.6 APG (9.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.5 APG in four seasons)

Jacob Hazzard: Played 11 minutes in six games. (0.9 PPG, 0.2 APG in four seasons)

T.J. McConnell: Sat out season due to NCAA transfer rules. (9.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.8 APG in two seasons)

Mark Lyons: 15.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.8 APG (one season)

Matt Korcheck: Elected to redshirt his first season. (1.2 PPG, 1.1 RPG in two seasons)

Analysis: Let's look at this from a legacy standpoint. T.J. McConnell was the catalyst that led Sean Miller and Arizona to two straight Elite Eights, while becoming one of the most beloved Wildcats ever. Gabe York and Kaleb Tarczewski were both four-year players. Brandon Ashley returned for his sophomore season and was a borderline first-round NBA pick until a devastating midseason injury when Arizona was 21-0. Mark Lyons played a huge hand in making the UA a contender in 2012-13, helping bring the Cats to the brink of an Elite Eight. Grant Jerrett could have put this quality class over the top, but largely underperformed before bolting early for the NBA.

1. 2017-18

No. 17 Arizona Wildcats vs. University of Oregon Ducks (copy) — Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

National class rank: 3rd

Recruiting class:

Deandre Ayton, forward, five stars

Emmanuel Akot, forward, five stars

Brandon Randolph, guard, four stars

Ira Lee, forward, four stars

Alex Barcello, guard, four stars

Chase Jeter, forward, transfer

Freshman stats (career in parenthesis):

Deandre Ayton: 20.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 1.6 APG (one season)

Emmanuel Akot: 1.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.8 APG (through one season)

Brandon Randolph: 3.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.8 APG (through one season)

Ira Lee: 2.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG (through one season)

Alex Barcello: 2.4 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.9 APG (through one season)

Chase Jeter: Sat out season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Analysis: Let's not beat around the bush here. Deandre Ayton makes the class of 2017 the best of the Sean Miller era. Sure, this is the same team that lost in the first round to Buffalo. And in terms of production out of the gate, there wasn't a ton to admire from what was the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. Emmanuel Akot, the Wildcats' second-best rated recruit (24th) in the class, fought off injuries throughout the season and could hardly get into a rhythm. Similar stories could be told about Alex Barcello and Ira Lee. But the spectacle of Ayton, the first No. 1 overall recruit to play basketball at Arizona, more than made up for it. Between Brandon Randolph, Akot, Lee, Barcello and Duke transfer Chase Jeter — all expected to have premier rolls in 2018-19 — this class' impact should be felt in the years to come.