Of all the vacancies the Arizona Wildcats carried into June, the most glaring might be for top-tier perimeter players who can help offset the losses of Bennedict Mathurin, Dalen Terry and Justin Kier.
That need could be filled soon.
The Wildcats are hosting Campbell grad transfer Cedric Henderson Jr. this week while, according to the Portal Report, they also reportedly are one of two final choices for 6-3 Texas guard Courtney Ramey.
A 6-6 wing from Memphis, Henderson arrived Monday night and is visiting campus Tuesday. His visit was first reported by 247Sports.com’s Wildcat Authority and confirmed by the Star on Tuesday.
Playing mostly at power forward in an undersized lineup for Campbell, Henderson averaged 14.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range and 53.8% from 2. He was named an honorable mention pick in the Big South, which is effectively third-team all-conference, after being a second-team pick in 2020-21.
The son of Cedric Henderson, a 1993 McDonalds All-American who went on to play at the University of Memphis and in the NBA, Cedric Henderson Jr. began his college career playing for his father at Southwest Tennessee Community College in 2018-19. He was named the Tennessee Community College Athletic Associationβs Freshman of the year that season while averaging 17.9 points a game.
Henderson Jr. went on to start the next three seasons for Campbell, then entered the NBA Draft and transfer portal this spring. He withdrew from the draft and reportedly visited N.C. State in May and Texas Tech last week.
βPlaying in the ACC would be big,β Henderson told Rivalsβ Wolfpack Central after visiting Raleigh, North Carolina. βWho doesnβt want to play in the ACC? It is arguably the best conference in basketball. Between the ACC and Big 12, those are the best two conferences a college basketball player could play in.β
Texas's Courtney Ramey shoots past Purdue's Jaden Ivey during the first half of their March 20 NCAA Tournament game. Ramey is reportedly choosing between Arizona and West Virginia.
Ramey, meanwhile, has not been known to have scheduled visits but his recruitment is proceeding. A veteran of four seasons with the Longhorns, Ramey had also drawn interest from Houston, Purdue, Duke and Louisville before reportedly narrowing his decision to West Virginia and Arizona.
The Wildcats have plenty of opportunity to offer both players.
While Henderson could be a bigger wing to help replace Terry and Mathurin, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Ramey could play a major role at both guard spots. He likely would have a chance to start at shooting guard alongside point guard Kerr Kriisa and slide over to the point when needed, as Kier did last season in a reserve role.
Ramey started at Texas since the midway point of his freshman season, but was less productive last season under first-year Texas coach Chris Beard.
Texas's Courtney Ramey shoots past Purdue's Jaden Ivey during the first half of their March 20 NCAA Tournament game. Ramey is reportedly choosing between Arizona and West Virginia.
Ramey averaged 9.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 rebounds per game last season while shooting 35% from 3-point range. But during 2020-21, under then-coach Shaka Smart, Ramey averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range.
Ramey announced on March 31 that he would both test the NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal. Of players who have been in the transfer portal this spring, EvanMiya.com ranks Ramey No. 31 and Henderson 363.
Arizona has nine players on hand as of now for 2022-23. The Wildcats are believed to be pursuing Illinois forward Jacob Grandison and WSU forward Efe Abogidi, among others.
Wildcats offer 2024 standout Bryant
Four-star 2024 Southern California forward Carter Bryant announced that Arizona has offered him a scholarship, the first the Wildcats are believed to have offered to a rising high school junior.
Bryant posted on social media Monday night that he was offered the scholarship after speaking with UA coach Tommy Lloyd and special assistant TJ Benson, while the Wildcats and Carter have already had a long relationship. According to Inland Rotary, Bryant took an official visit to Arizona last October, where he watched the Red-Blue Game.
Carter has been rising in the recruiting world since recovering from a broken tibia that kept him from playing as a freshman at Fountain Valley High School in 2020-21. He was an all-league pick as a sophomore in 2021-22 and is now ranked No. 24 overall in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.com.
Terry offered one of the many enthusiastic replies to Bryantβs Instagram post.
βYuhhhhhh!β the former UA guard posted, then added: βJust commit now.β
