Thanks to their top recruiting class, the Arizona Wildcats have jumped into all the national early Top 25 projections for next season.
The picks range from 14 (Sports Illustrated) to 25 (USA Today) β the Sporting News earlier had UA ranked No. 22 β while Oregon is being universally picked ahead of the Wildcats and will likely be the Pac-12 favorite again especially if Kenny Wooten returns.
Several of the Top 25 picks about Arizona have qualifiers about Sean Miller's status, however. USA Today even notes that "perhaps his parting gift to the program would be one of the best freshman classes in the country."
Here's the rundown on where UA is being picked and what they're saying about the Wildcats:
No. 14 (SI.com):Β
"Although it would appear Sean Millerβs fate as head coach is up in the air, Arizona should be fine so long as it can keep incoming standouts Nico Mannion and Josh Green in the fold. The Wildcats will be expected to help revive a down Pac-12, and both freshmen should be immediate starters, are ready to make an impact, and will help turn things around. Transfer Stone Gettings will also be eligible. Theyβll need to get more out of Brandon Williams, and this will be a guard-driven team, but thereβs almost no way they can be quite this bad again. This could be a bounce-back year if things shake out for the positive, but thereβs still some roster flux that has to play out."
No. 15 (The Athletic):
"It was definitely a tough winter for Sean Millerβs young crew, but the payoff comes next year when all that youth grows up. The roster will be bolstered by what many consider the top recruiting class in the country. Mannion and Green will form one of the most electric backcourts in the country. Williams and Randolph should become all-conference caliber players. And yet, the questions are still swirling regarding Millerβs status. Barring that jolt, the Wildcats should enter next season as one of the favorites to win the Pac-12.
No. 16 (CBS):
"Sean Miller, even with the cloud of another federal trial hanging over the program, has secured the nation's top-ranked recruiting class. Arizona will not miss the NCAA Tournament two straight years."
No. 17 (ESPN):
"The first team in the rankings that didn't play in this year's NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats are going to rely heavily on the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. The headliners are top-10 guards Josh Green and Nico Mannion, who played together on the AAU circuit and will start immediately next season in Tucson. Freshman Brandon Williams was one of the bright spots for Sean Miller this season, and he's the top returnee on the perimeter. Assuming that there are no Arizona-related issues in this month's FBI trial, the Wildcats are a clear-cut top-20 team."
No. 25 (USA Today):
"While coach Sean Miller's future is uncertain (he's at the center of a bribery trial), perhaps his parting gift to the program would be one of the best freshman classes in the country. Nico Mannion, Josh Green, and Zeke Nnaji are five-star talents good enough to get the Wildcats back to contending status."
Among predictions from West Coast-based outlets, the Mercury News' Jon Wilner has UA in the group of teams just missing the Top 25 β he has Washington at 22 and Oregon at 12 β while DuckTerritory's Matt Prehm has the Wildcats at No. 25. Prehm also ranks USC 24 and Colorado 22.
Even though this season proved again the value of experience, the Buffs are getting no national recognition so far despite a strong core of returners and the expected return of center Dallas Walton.
ESPN's Bracketology, meanwhile, only has UA as a No. 11 play-in NCAA Tournament pick, suggesting a finish below the Top 25.
VegasInsider lists UA as a 20-1 pick to win the 2020 NCAA Tournament, while BetOnline.ag has the Wildcats at 28-1.Β
Tony Bennett correctly identified young talent in his days at WSU, which probably has mixed feelings about his national championship at Virginia.
The first coach to ever watch me workout for college was Tony Bennett when he was at Washington St. I was in 9th grade going into 10th. I was working out with @bucketsworth at La Mirada high .. happy for him and @UVAMensHoops ππΎ
— Derrick Williams (@DWXXIII) April 9, 2019
Tony Bennett wins a national championship at #UVA 10 years after leaving #WSU for Charlottesville. The Cougars have gone 138-184 on the basketball court since. This tweet is what most folks in Pullman would call "too soon." pic.twitter.com/6kcQqk3NP9
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) April 9, 2019
The Bobby Hurley to St. John's rumors have been heating up.
Green has impressed at Hoop Summit practices, while also showing offΒ his impressive wingspan.
So far, all of the intel Iβve gotten from people out in Portland is that @josh_green6 has been really impressive in Nike Hoop Summit practices. Also, watching Nico Mannion mime a windmill is pretty fun; βZonaβs chemistry should be in step from the get-go. pic.twitter.com/GOEcvIyfjG
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) April 9, 2019
World Team Measurements from the @nikehoopsummit pic.twitter.com/0cW4uJ0imu
— Michael Visenberg (@NBADraftMikeyV) April 9, 2019
What did Sean Miller thought of Mick Cronin when they were rival coaches in Cincinnati? Wildcat Authority linked to some possible evidence.
This should be funhttps://t.co/T8JuCTpH5I
— WildcatAuthority.com (@AZAuthority) April 9, 2019
At UCLA, Cronin will be making about $1.3 million more per season than Miller.
Mick Cronin's contract: six years, $24 million.
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) April 9, 2019
