The No. 7 item in the 10 Things to Watch feature from Athlon Sports' preseason basketball annual is entitled "Arizona should be back to looking like Arizona."
After discussing all the FBI-related drama the Wildcats have dealt with over the past two years, and the resulting average roster UA had last season, author Gary Parrish noted that "somewhat surprisingly, Miller sure did bounce back nicely."
Lindy's also said the Wildcats appeared to be back, noting that "the effects of the FBI snooping about Sean Miller's business produced a one-season flu of sorts."
While Athlon did not include the Wildcats in its Top 25 -- Colorado (16) was the only Pac-12 team to make that list -- Lindy's put the Wildcats at 25, below Colorado (16) and Washington (20).
"The toxins seem to have subsided and last season -- depressing as it was -- does not appear to be a harbinger of the future," Lindy's wrote of Arizona. "There is an overwhelming amount of talent, from elite freshman point guard Nico Mannion, scorer Chase Jeter and arriving grad transfer Max Hazzard, whose name is our favorite."
Lindy's named Mannion a second-team all-American, along with Washington's Isaiah Stewart. Athlon had Stewart on its second all-American team but listed no other Pac-12 players.
It's worth noting that Oregon's late additions of N'Faly Dante and Addison Patterson may not have been fully incorporated into the early preseason magazines. The Ducks might now be the Pac-12 favorite.
(Street and Smith's has also been published, though I haven't been able to find it yet, while Blue Ribbon Yearbook is still being produced).
Here's a breakdown of relevant rankings from Athlon and Lindy's:Β
Top 25 teams UA will face
Athlon: Gonzaga (9), Colorado (16), Baylor (17), Illinois (23).
Lindy's: Gonzaga (8), Baylor (12), Colorado (16), Washington (20). Arizona was ranked 25.
Pac-12 teams predicted to make NCAA tournament
Athlon: Colorado (Sweet 16), Washington (2nd round), Oregon (second round), Arizona (second round), ASU (first round).
Lindy's:Β Colorado (Sweet 16), Arizona (first weekend), Oregon (first weekend), UCLA (first weekend), Washington (first weekend).
Players from the Pac-12 named in Top 100
Athlon: Isaiah Stewart (9), Nico Mannion (21), Payton Pritchard (29), Tres Tinkle (33), McKinley Wright (36), Jaden McDaniels (54), Tyler Bey (75), Josh Green (77), Remy Martin (100).
Lindy's: Isaiah Stewart (5), Nico Mannion (6), McKinley Wright (10), Tres Tinkle (19), Payton Pritchard (27), Tyler Bey (39), Nick Rakocevic (46), CJ Elleby (56), Chase Jeter (58), Quade Green (64), Onyeka Okongwu (65), Jaden McDaniels (67), Daejon Davis (70), Isaiah Mobley (71).Β
Predicted Pac-12 order of finish
Athlon: 1. Colorado, 2. Washington, 3. Oregon, 4 Arizona, 5. ASU, 6. USC, 7. OSU, 8. Utah, 9. UCLA, 10. Stanford, 11. WSU, 12. Cal.
Lindy's: 1. Colorado, 2. Washington, 3. Arizona, 4. Oregon, 5. UCLA, 6. ASU, 7. USC, 8. Utah, 9. OSU, 10. Stanford, 11. Cal, 12. WSU.
