During a 35-minute media session today, Sean Miller expressed some optimism about getting guys back in the short run … and some long-run concern over the one-and-done rule:
Miller expanded on his statement Saturday that guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright is ahead of schedule on recovering from a high ankle sprain he suffered Nov. 30, saying it’s possible he could even return as early as UA’s Dec. 30 Pac-12 opener at Cal.
“But I also think it’s possible that isn’t the case,” Miller added.
The rough timeline for PJC was 4-8 weeks and Dec 30 would be just over the four-week mark.
“I don’t believe it’s in the cards for him to be out eight,” Miller said. “What the actual time is we’ll find out more and more. He’s gonna find out a few things today. He’s approaching the three-week mark. As Justin (Kokoskie, UA athletic trainer) mentioned, on high ankle sprains you can’t predict how quickly people recover.
"With Parker, you lose a lot of your strength there. But he’s been about let get that strength back. ... He’s able to get in the gym now by himself and get in a 40-minute workout so all of those are good signs and I think it’s going to point to him making an earlier comeback.”
As is often the case, UA began today’s press conference by saying the Allonzo Trier situation wouldn’t be commented on, but in discussing injuries, Miller was hopeful of returning his "whole team."
The full remark:
“Obviously, we need some good fortune to stay away from injury, and hopefully we can welcome our whole team back at some point,” Miller said. “You feel like you deserve that. Kadeem Allen deserves that. It would be nice to walk out there and not have to come to you guys at the end of the game and talk abut surviving foul trouble and some of the things we currently have to do in our situation.”
Both UA and the NCAA have declined to comment about Trier, though Miller said Saturday that Trier’s situation was not pegged to the academic calendar.
Asked if freshman typically arrive in college with a higher basketball IQ these days, Miller said “no” and went on a long discussion on about one-and-dones.
“I think freshmen come to college basketball with more unrealistic expectations than ever before,” Miller said. “That statement is the most obvious that a college basketball coach can make, that nobody truly understands the process that’s going to be required to achieve what they want to achieve.
“The one and done model is completely upside down in any area of civilization. You don’t become a lawyer and go to law school for a year. First of all, you have to do an incredible job as an undergrad to even get in to a law school and then you have to take the test to further establish that you’re qualified. ….
Miller talked more about the lawyer track, then asked:
“You want me to go on? A college professor. You don't leave college as an undergraduate student after one year and say 'I’m all set here.’ I’m gonna be one of the best teachers at the University of Arizona. …. And their thought process about going to the NBA starts in 10th grade.”
At the same time, Miller said he wasn’t frustrated now that the NBA appears to be re-upping the one-and-done rule in its next collective bargaining agreement.
“It is what it is,” Miller said. “We’re recruiting five players a year. We take inventory every day. We’re led by three freshmen in scoring. We’ve embraced it. If somebody wants to be one and done, we’re gonna try to do whatever we can to get there.”
Miller said he had no hesitations in reopening the long-dormant series with New Mexico, which will be played Tuesday for the first time in 17 years. In fact, Miller said he might have started the series sooner, except that UA already had long series with San Diego State and UNLV, and didn’t want too play too many teams from the same conference.
“New Mexico is a quality team. They’re a quality program,” Miller said. “They’re well-coached. They have one of the most phenomenal home courts in the country.”
Arizona moved up one spot to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll.
UCLA forward T.J. Leaf picked up his second Pac-12 Player of the Week award after averaging 19 points, nine rebounds and 4.5 assists in two Bruin wins last week. UA nominated Dusan Ristic.
