Tommy Lloyd already enjoying 'small-town feel and great people' in Tucson

Tommy Lloyd has been the head coach of the Arizona Wildcats for less than a month, but he’s wasted no time immersing himself in the UA culture — and Tucson.

Besides getting familiar with the Arizona sun and the current Wildcats, Lloyd has another tall — and the most essential — task to complete: Fill out the roster.

The departure of UA big man Jordan Brown, the Pac-12’s Sixth Man of the Year, has left the Wildcats with just eight scholarship players, including incoming freshman wing Shane Nowell. Arizona also lost All-Pac-12 guard James Akinjo (Baylor), Jemarl Baker Jr. (Fresno State), Terrell Brown Jr. (Washington), Ira Lee (George Washington), Tibet Gorener and Daniel Batcho to the transfer portal.

However, the Wildcats are a finalist to land five-star Phoenix-area point guard TyTy Washington for 2021, and could also look into the ever-growing transfer portal for scholarship players.

Lloyd joined the Star’s Justin Spears on ESPN Tucson on Wednesday to discuss life adjusting to Tucson, the current Wildcats and Arizona’s recruiting agenda moving forward (the full interview can also be heard on The Wildcast podcast).

Here’s what Lloyd had to say:

Now that you’ve been the head coach of the Wildcats for nearly a month, what do you think?

A: “It’s been great. I’m excited and fired up to get up for it every day and attack it. My new reality is being the head coach at the University of Arizona, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Have you had a chance to explore Tucson and experience the culture?

A: “I’ve been up and down Campbell (Road) a bunch, so I’ve been to Baja Cafe a couple times. I’ve eaten at La Paloma a bunch of times since that’s the area I’m staying at. I haven’t ventured off Campbell too much, but I’ve been to the mall a couple times because I ran out of clothes and haven’t returned home to Spokane to get my stuff yet. So, I haven’t gone around the town too much, but so far, I love what I see. I love that it has a small-town feel and that’s something that is near and dear to my heart. I’m not necessarily a big-city guy. I feel really good about the community, and there’s one thing I know: Everyone here is crazy for the Cats, and that’s really exciting.”

Have any UA fans spotted you in public, and what have the interactions been like?

A: “There’s been some of that, but there have also been other times where I haven’t and that’s been kind of nice as well, because I can kind of blend in and get a feel for it as a normal member of the community. Listen, the people that have come up to me and welcomed me have been great with open arms and I’ve enjoyed my conversations with them. I know being the head coach at the University of Arizona is a big deal to this community, and it’s something I’m excited to embrace.”

You said at your introductory press conference that Spokane and Tucson are similar. How?

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A: “When I said similarities, you start with the people. There’s good people — very open and welcoming, they have time for you and that’s what I enjoy. I grew up in a real small town, so I’m used to those personal relationships and knowing everybody, and I’ve always enjoyed that. Now, I love travel and big cities — Phoenix has a lot to offer — but if I’m going to pick where I live, then it’s definitely going to have a smaller-community feel, and that’s what Spokane and Tucson have in common: Small-town feel and great people.”

You also said your staff would have “Arizona flavor,” which is true with retaining associate head coach Jack Murphy and UA legend Jason Terry, but you’ve also added former Gonzaga assistants in TJ Benson, Ken Nakagawa and Rem Bakamus. What’s the significance of having ties from both programs fusioned on your roster?

A: “I think you’re talking about two of the top programs in the country. Gonzaga and Arizona combining forces is a win-win. The guys I brought in from Spokane are coming in with support roles, but they’re guys I know very well and they know me well and know how I want to play. They know the kind of culture I want to build and they’re going to help me out with that and model it. The ability to keep Jack and JT was important. They’re guys that bleed Arizona through and through, which I think is extremely important. They know the lay of the land down here and know what works and doesn’t work and that’s something I leaned on early. I just appreciate those guys supporting me and welcoming me into this Arizona family. I look forward to working with those guys for a long time.”

What do you like about the core players on Arizona’s roster, specifically Azuolas Tubelis and Benn Mathurin?

A: “What I like about those guys is that they’re great kids, they’re hard workers and they’ve been coached well, so the foundation is set for them to build on the development and make that next big jump. That’s what I’m excited about, to see how these guys look in their second year — some of them in their third year. That’s when guys really start understanding how to be effective players. Benn and Azuolas, their best days are ahead of them, and I think we’re going to see more confident, more aggressive players in their second years, and I think that’s exciting.”

Who are some players who’ve made significant jumps from their first year to second year?

A: “Oh wow. That list is long. Right off the top of my head, (former Gonzaga stars) Rui Hachimura, Domantas Sabonis, guys like that. Maybe it’s a cliché, but they always say the biggest improvement is from your freshman to sophomore year in your career. There are other guys I’m excited about. I really like Dalen Terry and Kerr Kriisa and Christian (Koloko) — those three guys are going to make real big jumps this year. They’re at the point in their career that they’re ready to take the next step. The foundation has been built and now it’s time to build upwards. That’s something I’m going to be pushing these guys during the offseason, to understand they’re at a crucial point in their development and they kind of need to go for it. Now’s the time we need to make big gains.”

How were you able to convince Kriisa — who explored the transfer portal — to stay at Arizona?

A: “At this day and age in college basketball, transferring has become the norm. Kids are more receptive to giving it a try than maybe a few years back. With Kerr, I think him and I just needed to sit down and have some conversations and see that our visions align. He’s a great kid and someone I knew since before I got here. He was someone on our radar at Gonzaga a little bit. I look forward to working with him. He’s definitely a skilled player and has the competitiveness and the IQ that I like. I see him being an important part of next year’s team. … He can shoot, he can have his hand on the ball in pick-and-rolls and make great reads and great decisions. When he’s off the ball, he has value as a floor-spacer and can put the ball on the floor and attack close-outs and make plays for others. He’s definitely a guy I hold to high esteem.”

With just eight scholarship players in place for the 2021-22 season, what are your recruiting priorities to fill out the roster?

A: “We’ve targeted guys for each of those remaining scholarships. I’ve been on the job for (a little more than) two weeks, so it takes time. I’ve been mindful in taking my time. You want to develop relationships and make sure you aren’t having knee-jerk reactions that might be regrettable for the program and for the individual coming here. I want to take my time and make sure we’re on the right guys, and I feel like we are. It could be a good couple weeks of Arizona basketball recruiting. The foundation is set with a number of things we’re looking at, and now we’re looking to get some positive results.”