Arizona’s roster got even smaller Wednesday, when two players from the Wildcats’ 2021 national runner-up team — starter Bendu Yeaney and reserve Semaj Smith — entered the NCAA’s transfer portal. Both are grad transfers with one extra year of eligibility left.
The Wildcats’ roster has turned over significantly since last month, when the UA was eliminated by North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in McKale Center. Reserves Koi Love, Derin Erdogan, Netty Vonleh and Gisela Sanchez all entered the transfer portal, and Taylor Chavez has chosen to graduate and pursue a career outside of basketball. (Barnes confirmed Chavez’s departure to the Star.)
Just five players remain from last season’s team: Forwards Cate Reese and Lauren Ware and guards Shaina Pellington, Helena Pueyo and Madi Conner.
Barnes said “a lot” of the moves were “a conscious decision by me to make changes.” Barnes had promised after the NCAA Tournament loss that there would be changes, noting that there were things she should have “nipped in the bud.”
“I think change is good sometimes, and it’s OK,” Barnes said Wednesday. “I think that you have to never compromise your culture and your values and integrity — if that’s important to you. And I think that you have to get people that are aligned with that in every way and not just in one way.”
Barnes said Smith is going to “try to apply for grad school” and is “probably looking to possibly go closer to” her Los Angeles home.
Yeaney “is looking for something different, maybe close to home, or just exploring her options,” Barnes said.
Barnes said she’ll be helping both players find their next programs.
Yeaney, who transferred to UA two years ago from Indiana, is the first starter to leave the program during Barnes’ tenure. During the 2021-22 season, Yeaney averaged 6.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while grabbing 44 steals. Her numbers were better than in the national championship game season, when she averaged 4.1 points per game and picked 30 steals.
Smith, a center, played all four years at UA as a reserve. She saw her most minutes in her first two seasons, with playing time diminishing in each of the last two years. She played 31 total minutes last season, averaging 1.7 points per game.
Barnes will try to fill their roster spots with players from the transfer portal, something she says is “is good and bad.” They’ll join the top recruiting class in program history.
“I know as a coach, I can get five kids out of the portal — really good players,” she said. “A lot of people want to come here, but I’m not going to do that. Because if I do that, it’s going to compromise my young kids. … I’m invested in these four freshmen. Finding a way to win and to get better to go that next level, still get those freshmen and players experience and then having a portal or two or three players that can add to your success, that’s a very difficult balance.”
Barnes said because of the portal, top teams may end up losing “13, 12, 11 on your roster every year” because of playing time.
“You’ll never have a player say, ‘I’m playing enough minutes.’ Maybe (former Wildcat) Sam Thomas was that honest,” she said. “(Former UA star) Aari (McDonald) is an example. Aari played 35 minutes and she wanted to play 40. … Players don’t have patience to try to work and get better. They just don’t — that’s not the mentality nowadays. But then as a coach you also have the luxury. If you don’t like what they’re doing, if you don’t like their work ethic, whatever, you can go get a transfer portal kid that’s better. You can get a fifth-year (player), have her for a year and she’s a lot better player.
“I think it’s also it gives coaches a lot of power, but it gives players a lot. I was surprised if you look at our roster, a couple of freshmen have left. I understand it takes time, but they were getting some opportunities. You need to have patience when you’re on a top team — to get better and work.”
Paris Clark, a McDonald's All-American from New York, signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday.
Paris comes to Tucson
Paris Clark, a five-star recruit and the fourth member of UA’s Class of 2022, signed on to play for the Wildcats on Wednesday morning. The guard joins Maya Nnaji, Kailyn Gilbert and Lemyah Hylton in a class that’s unlike any to eve commit tot the Wildcats.
ESPN rates Clark as the No. 5 guard and No. 21 overall player in her class. Clark is a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in New York. This season, the 5-foot-8-inch Long Island native averaged 25.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and four steals per game.
Clark verbally committed to UCLA before re-opening her recruitment last fall. As a result, she missed the November signing period and had to wait until April.
“We’ve been counting down the days,” Barnes said. “She brings us athleticism defense. Someone can get to the rim, a great offensive rebounder, and just some something that a player that really fits us and is aligned with us culturally and in every way off the court which was one of the biggest things.”
Clark picked the UA in part because of her connection with Barnes.
“Just how real she is,” Clark said. “You know, she keeps you real. She’s funny. She’s a Black woman. So just I feel like we can relate.”
Clark said she’s excited to play with Reese, because of “her energy and what she brings to the program is special.”
Clark is a noted defensive player, meaning she should be a good fit for Barnes.
“She’s tenacious. She’s a dog. I always like to say I like those dogs defensively,” Barnes said. “(She’s) not afraid — tenacious on the ball, athletic. I think what I love about her is … she’s got to gain some weight, but she’s an athlete. So she has the ability to play our defense because she’s athletic enough to. … She has the ability to do we want. I mean, if you think of how athletic Shaina is, Paris is that athletic. And I’m just excited because I think she hasn’t even scratched the surface.”
Adia the agent
Barnes worked behind the scenes to help Thomas land a training camp contract with the Phoenix Mercury.
“I was agent Barnes for the last couple of weeks, and it was actually fun,” Barnes said. “… As of last week, I had like five camps. I had promises from some really good friends, coaches and GMs (in the WNBA). … We felt that Phoenix was the best for her. Diana Taurasi really liked her. Vanessa Nygaard was a new coach. I’ve known (Nygaard) since we were were 15, and she really liked what Sam does and they need a shooter. …
“They need it wing that can shoot it, so I felt like that was a really good situation.”
