Though it arrived after one of his more frustrating games of the season, Arizona guard Jaden Bradley picked up yet another measure of respect earlier this week.
Bradley was one of 20 players named to the Wooden Award’s “late midseason” watch list, the second-to-last cutdown for one of college basketball’s top player of the year awards.
The Wooden Award will announce a final ballot of 15 players entering the NCAA Tournament, after which a Wooden all-America team and an overall Wooden Award pick will be chosen.
Eight of the 20 players on the Wooden List were from the Big 12, including Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Houston guard Kingston Flemings, Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty, Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Texas Tech forward JT Toppin.
The 2025–26 Men’s Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List is LIVE. A mix of breakout freshmen and proven vets are making their push for the Wooden Award All-America Team and Player of the Year. The race is heating up as we head toward March. pic.twitter.com/zwvzP5xmgo
— John R. Wooden Award (@WoodenAward) February 10, 2026
Bradley will face both Anderson and Toppin on Saturday when the Wildcats host the Red Raiders at McKale Center.
Players not on the Wooden's late midseason watch list can still play their way on to the final ballot, much like Bradley played his way on to the 10-player midseason list for the Bob Cousy Award honoring the top point guard in college basketball after he was left off its 20-player preseason list.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) attempts to score past Kansas guard Jamari McDowell, right, during the second half, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan.
Bradley, who was also one of 25 players named last month to the Naismith’s Defensive Player of the Year award, likely climbed onto the Wooden list by being the Wildcats’ floor leader and arguably most clutch player during their program-record 23-0 start.
Bradley had several drives inside that helped UA beat UConn and UCLA early in the season and hit 11 of 13 free throws in Arizona’s 84-77 win at UCF on Jan. 17.
“He's a world class game-finisher for us,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said at UCF. “You want to get the ball to him at the end of the game in (clutch) situations, so he can get fouled. You trust him at the free throw, if you trust his decision making when the ball is in his in his hands.”
However, Bradley’s inclusion for the Wooden list came a day after he scored a season-low six points in UA’s 82-78 loss at Kansas on Monday. Bradley shot just 2 of 8 from the field and missed two of his four free throws, but he had five rebounds, four assists and three steals with two turnovers.
Bradley could not be interviewed after Monday’s game in Lawrence, Kan., but guard Brayden Burries spoke optimistically about him.
“He’ll bounce back,” Burries said. “He just missed shots today. That’s part of basketball.”
DP’s DNP
Whether Darryn Peterson is available when Kansas makes its first Big 12 visit to McKale Center on Feb. 28 is anyone’s guess.
When Peterson sat out the Jayhawks’ 82-78 win over Arizona on Monday with what Kansas coach Bill Self called “flu-like symptoms,” it was actually the 11th game this season he has not played in for reasons that have included hamstring and cramping issues.
“The one thing about about Darryn that's been positive is we've actually been more aggressive individually a lot of times when he was not in the game,” Self said. “Now, we're not as good, but we're more aggressive individually.”
Self referenced the 25 shots guard Melvin Council took — he hit only six of his field goals but was 10 for 11 from the free-throw line — and the effort of forward Bryson Tiller, who shot 13 times. Self also spoke highly of big man Flory Bidunga, who had 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks — including a game-sealing block of Burries’ layup with 17 seconds left.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) scores as Kansas forward Flory Bidunga defends during the second half, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan.
“We still have a job to do,” Bidunga said. “We thought (Peterson’s absence) would make us stronger.”
Self said he thought on Sunday that Peterson had a “50-50” chance of playing Monday, even though he was not listed on Kansas’ pregame player availability reports.
Under Big 12 guidelines, a player estimated with a 50% chance of playing is required to be listed as “questionable” in day-before reports and, if still questionable in the hours leading up to tipoff, as a “game-day decision” on the final report to be posted 90 minutes before tipoff.
A request for comment from the Big 12 over Peterson's absence from the player availability report did not generate a reply Tuesday.
Lloyd said he didn’t look at the report and knew only that Peterson was out about 10 minutes before Monday's game.
“You guys can dig into that,” he said.
Super Bowl look
Even though Kansas managed to counter Arizona inside during the second half Monday, Self still had plenty of praise for the Wildcat big men.
“Their big guy is good,” Self said of Motiejus Krivas. “We knew he was good, but I didn't know he's that good over both shoulders and this and that. He's really good. And Koa (Peat) was terrific.”
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas, left, blocks a shot by Kansas guard Tre White (3) as Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) also defends during the first half, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan.
Then he appeared to envision Awaka wearing a helmet and shoulder pads during the Super Bowl.
“And you bring in a guy that could have played (Sunday) in Santa Clara, off the bench, as a defensive end … We got dominated the first half inside, but second half we didn't.”
