Recruits, transfers and new coaches give Sean Miller's Wildcats a new look
Updated
Safe to say the Wildcats will look much different on the court and on the sideline next season.
By Justin Spears Arizona Daily Star
First look: Arizona's 2018-19 roster
UA is bringing in three players from the 2018 recruiting class, two graduate transfers that will be eligible to play immediately and another transfer from Cornell.
Here's what the Wildcats' rotation might look like when they take the court in October.
Head coach
Was: Sean Miller
Is now ... Sean Miller.
Lead assistant coach
Was: Lorenzo Romar. The former Washington boss spent a year at Arizona before taking the head coaching job at Pepperdine.
Is now … Mark Phelps. Phelps moves over one chair and gets a raise, to $275,000 annually.
Assistant coach
Was: Mark Phelps
Is now ... Justin Gainey. Gainey played under Miller at N.C. State from 1996-1999 and the two are familiar with each other. Gainey signed a two-year contract worth $290,000 annually.
Assistant coach
Was: Book Richardson
Is now ... Danny Peters. Richardson was fired prior to the start of the season in September after he was involved in the pay-for-play scandal in college basketball, as investigated by the FBI. Assistant director of basketball operations Austin Carroll temporarily filled Richardson's role. Peters signed a two-year contract worth $275,000 annually.
Peters formerly was on UA's staff as the assistant director of basketball operations, but departed in 2014 to join James Whitford at Ball State.
Point guard
Was: Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Is now … Brandon Williams. The four-star point guard recommitted to the Wildcats and provides some depth and size to the position.
2018-19 reserves: Justin Coleman, Alex Barcello
Shooting guard
Was: Allonzo Trier
Is now ... Dylan Smith. Entering his junior season, Smith flashed potential as a future starter especially when Rawle Alkins missed three games during Pac-12 play. Don't be surprised if Brandon Randolph drastically improves between his freshman and sophomore year and leaps Smith for the starting spot.
Is now … Emmanuel Akot. Technically, Akot was supposed to be a part of the 2018 recruiting class, but reclassified. In hind sight, that could've been a genius move on Akot's part because now he's a seasoned wing player with a year of college ball under his belt.
2018-19 reserves: Omar Thielemans
Power forward
Was: Deandre Ayton
Is now … Ryan Luther. The Pittsburgh graduate transfer adds experience to Arizona's youth. However, Luther suffered a foot injury in January that cut his season short, and Ira Lee could very well see a lion's share of minutes.
2018-19 reserves: Ira Lee, Stone Gettings
Center
Was: Dusan Ristic
Is now … Chase Jeter. The Duke transfer would play power forward for any other team in college basketball, but the Wildcats don't have a single center on board so expect Jeter to play heavy minutes as the anchor in the middle.