Wildcats training, with an assist from 'RJ,' as they await NCAA ruling on start to 2020-21 season

Three years after the Richard Jefferson Gym opened in 2008, Arizona turned added weight training and sports medicine areas.

Generally closed off to the public, and prioritized for UA basketball and volleyball teams, the all-encompassing facility was a bubble of sorts — back before bubbles became a way of life in the sports world.

UA coach Sean Miller said the “R.J.” has helped the Wildcats stay safe and focused during their unconventional preseason so far.

“We are fortunate,” Miller said. It’s good for “starting off slower, making sure we’re following COVID protocols.”

The Wildcats were tested upon their arrival campus and spent a week in isolation, and have since managed two weeks of conditioning and limited basketball drills. The workouts started outside because players were initially not allowed in McKale Center or the “R.J.” Miller said they started by only having one player work around a rim at any one time. The Wildcats have not yet held any sort full-contact practice; they’re wearing masks during workouts.

While Miller said he hopes to receive clearance to do more later this month, things remain so restricted that the players can’t visit coaches’ offices inside McKale Center nor their own locker room. Instead, they have to change clothes on their own and strategically hand over gear to equipment manager Brian Brigger.

“When they come in for their workout the next day, they drop off their laundry from the previous day,” Miller said. “It’s just trying to minimize the contact and make sure we’re following everything that we’re supposed to.”

Miller said the team has had “no problems” since his players returned last month.

The Wildcats have reason to make sure it stays that way. All they have to do is remember back to March 12, when their Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal game with USC was canceled, along with any hopes of an NCAA Tournament run.

“I think our guys are all very highly motivated,” Miller said. “A lot of our players have already experienced having a season’s ending taken away from them. They don’t want that feeling again.

“They understand that the season could be taken from them, that their opportunity to be here on our campus can be taken from them. And, not to mention, their ability to work out while they’re on our campus.”

The Wildcats are expected to find out this week where the starting line will be. On Wednesday, the NCAA is expected to set a modified season-opening date — likely late November or early December. The Pac-12 might walk back its nothing-before-January proclamation in order to participate, especially since it has now secured rapid-result testing.

Miller said he expects a Nov. 25 starting date, which would push the start of official practices back to Oct. 14, since teams typically can start practicing 42 days before their first game.

Miller believes teams might be granted a two-or three-week interim practice period of 12 hours a week leading up to Oct. 14. Usually teams jump from eight hours a week when school starts to 20 hours a week when full practices begin.

A season, whenever it starts, might happen via a series of “bubbles” around the country.

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Many preseason multi-team events are expected to converged at one site, such as the Disney World location that is currently hosting NBA games, but for probably no more than a week at a time.

Any college bubble would likely have a shorter quarantine period before games are played. Daily rapid-result testing might allow teams to play within a day or two after arrival and might reduce contact tracing efforts if a sudden positive test surfaced.

“I know that college basketball can’t duplicate what the NBA is doing, but there’s also not really a need,” Miller said. “The testing can really be a game-changer.”

Some Californians held backExtra preseason time could prove valuable for the Wildcats, not only because they have eight newcomers but also because all of their returnees spent the summer in California, where gyms have been closed and other significant restrictions put in place.

While guard Jemarl Baker said he had access to a trainer and facility, a few much-needed pounds melted off 7-foot center Christian Koloko. Listed at just 215 pounds last season, Koloko said in July that it was tough to work toward his goal of hitting 230-235.

“I just have like probably two dumbbells and I have some bands,” said Koloko, a Cameroon native whose adopted home is in the San Fernando Valley. “I was really frustrated when I realized I couldn’t go back to Tucson to work on my body, because that was my main focus for the summer.”

Miller said Koloko “lost some of where he might have been in April” but still expected he could hit 220 this season.

“Once they get back lifting again, and they’re here for a period of time, they’ll make tremendous gains, because it’s almost like their bodies have already been at that place before,” Miller said.

“I think it’ll be interesting to see where all of our guys are. Some of them are working to get their body fat down. Christian’s an example of just putting on weight, getting bigger and stronger.”

Zooming in academicallyWhile the Wildcats are on campus, all of them are taking classes remotely — just as they did over the summer. Miller praised guard James Akinjo, who transferred from Georgetown in January.

“James has academically done a phenomenal job,” Miller said. “He had as good of a summer as you possibly can have with the COVID backdrop. He was home in Oakland, but took advantage of his opportunities.”

Meanwhile departed guard Max Hazzard completed his master’s degree in entrepreneurship after spending last season with the Wildcats. Hazzard earned his undergraduate degree from UC Irvine.

Pronunciation tipThe Wildcats’ seven international players might pose a pronunciation challenge for coaches and broadcasters alike this season, but Miller may already have one of the tougher ones down.

That would be the name of Lithuanian freshman Azuolas Tubelis.

“It takes some time,” Miller said, chuckling. “The Z is more like a J and it’s a hard ‘A.’ So it’s like Ah-JUL-us. I think that’s how he says it but I don’t think — at least he acts like — he doesn’t care. He almost knows we can’t pronounce it.”