Maybe senior guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright can help Arizona make its first Final Four in 17 years, or even win the NCAA title, this season.
Or maybe the Wildcats will be derailed by the same sort of injury and off-court issues that have dogged them the past two seasons and fall short of college basketballβs final weekend, again.
Either way, Jackson-Cartwright knows now, more than ever, that it isnβt life or death.
Heβs seen what that looks like firsthand.
While many of the Wildcats were assembled in or near their team hotel in Barcelona when a terrorist plowed a van through a nearby area on Aug. 17, Jackson-Cartwright said he was walking only βa few feetβ away as the deadly drive began.
As panic struck, Jackson-Cartwright ducked into a store and hid for 45 minutes. He then returned to the hotel having, in some respects, a different mindset.
βDefinitely,β he said. βIt shook up a lot of people, including us.β
In an interview at McKale Center last week, Jackson-Cartwright described the attack, Arizonaβs trip to Spain and the team heβs now taking a leadership role on, along with fellow veterans Dusan Ristic, Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins. Hereβs what he said:
- At the time of the terror attack, Jackson-Cartwright said he was roaming around the city with his sister, nephew and parents, all of whom accompanied the Wildcats on their exhibition trip to Spain. Itβs a rare UA game, anywhere, that doesnβt have Jackson-Cartwrightβs parents in the stands.
βWe were walking into an area where they came, and after a few seconds of calm, you hear a bunch of people running,β he said. βIt was packed. Maybe 100 people started running around us and (youβre) just hiding because you donβt know whatβs coming.
βWe got separated in different stores along that area and after about 45 minutes, we went back to the hotel. β¦ The margin of error was really (small).β
- Overall, though, Jackson-Cartwright said the Spain trip was valuable for a team with seven new players.
βWe had a great time being in each otherβs company. I value friendships, relationships, so for me that was really important,β he said. βWe toured basically all of Spain, it felt like, and we went through Barcelona on a Segway. Once you get on, youβve gotta find your balance, but it was fine.β
- Since their return home, Jackson-Cartwright said the Wildcats have continued to improve. UA is now holding practices up to two hours a week and will expand to full-length practices on Oct. 1.
βWe donβt judge ourselves based on those games (in Spain) but by our practices at this point of the season,β he said. βI think everyoneβs gotten better since the Spain trip. The freshmen have come along and the older guys are getting better. I think the skyβs the limit with this team. We have a lot to look forward to.β
- As a freshman in 2014-15, Jackson-Cartwright stepped onto another highly rated team, one that included current contracted NBA players T.J. McConnell, Brandon Ashley, Kadeem Allen, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson and plus pros from other leagues in Gabe York and Kaleb Tarczewski.
βThat team was uniquely special, with Rondae, T.J. and Stanley, a lot of talent. But I think this yearβs team has a lot of talent, too,β he said. βWeβre really deep and young. But you canβt compare teams; you just have to take who you have and do your best.β
- While the 2014-15 Wildcats were ranked No. 2 in the AP and ESPN Top 25 preseason polls, this team is already the consensus No. 1 pick in preseason college basketball annuals (the AP and ESPN polls have not yet been released). Thereβs a lot of hype, again.
βI think itβs important to not to block that out but stay focused on the process and also weβre counting on guys like myself and Allonzo and Dusan, guys whoβve been here longer, who know rankings this early donβt really mean anything,β he said.
- Jackson-Cartwright said he expects that group to form a committee-style of leadership this season, after Allen established himself as Arizonaβs clear leader last season.
βI think every year is different when you talk about leaders,β he said. βThis year I think it comes from multiple guys, myself, Allonzo, Dusan. Even Rawle, guys who have played in big games, and know what it takes to win and how hard it is to win each night. Everyone has a voice.
βIβve tried to step up and relish that leadership role in the preseason, just trying to be more vocal and lead by example, showing the young guys how we do things around here and what it takes. I hold myself accountable to do those things like Kadeem did a year ago.β
- Not only does Jackson-Cartwright have a ton of scoring options around him, allowing him to focus on being more of a βglue guy,β but the Wildcats also have a number of players who can back him up at point guard. The way UA coach Sean Miller has described it, that could include freshman combo guard Alex Barcello, versatile 6-foot-7-inch freshman Emmanuel Akot or even Trier, if he slides over from shooting guard.
βCoach has mixed it up. Heβs tried a few different things at that position,β Jackson-Cartwright said. βIt would be a different look each time. Emmanuel is 6-5, 6-6, so his vision is going to be spectacular, and he plays with great pace and changes speeds really well. Alex, same thing: His vision really has been surprising, and he doesnβt turn the ball over. He makes good decisions and he shoots it really well. Allonzo has great pace and he can put the pass right in a personβs hand.
βWe run a lot of things where you can kind of interchange and move guys around one through three. Whoever has the ball at the point can make great decisions.β
- Jackson-Cartwright has already played in 99 Arizona games over three years β he and Ristic are on pace to become the Wildcatsβ winningest players ever β but said it sometimes it doesnβt seem like that many.
βYeah, itβs crazy. You play basketball for so long but it goes by so fast,β he said. βItβs going to be bittersweet playing this last year in front of these great fans, with great teammates. Itβs going by fast.β
