Zeke Nnaji leaving Arizona Wildcats for the NBA, the latest step in a well-thought-out career

Zeke Nnaji was on Arizona’s campus for less than a year, but he still c0ould probably qualify for some sort of certificate in career planning.

When the Arizona forward became the first of UA’s three freshman departees to officially declare for the NBA draft on Tuesday via Twitter, it was simply the next step in a carefully thought-out process.

In the month before he started his senior season at Hopkins High School in Minnesota in the fall of 2018, Nnaji took a remarkably in-depth approach to his recruitment. Rather than quickly narrow down to a list of three or five schools, as many recruits do, Nnaji embarked on an ambitious tour of 12 unofficial (unpaid) visits around the country to get a taste of what they had to offer.

He visited Creighton, Kansas State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Purdue, Kansas, Georgetown and UCLA, among others. While visiting Arizona, he took in a UA-BYU football game, then came back for the Red-Blue game six weeks later.

He walked the campuses. Talked to coaches and staffers. Met the players. Looked into academic programs. And figured out, exactly, where he would fit in on the court — in terms of both playing time and opportunity to make a big impact, presumably to maximize his development and NBA draft stock.

Once Nnaji decided, he also did that carefully.

Nnaji committed to the Wildcats on Nov. 23, 2018, just after the fall signing period. It was a firm commitment but the timing left him unable to sign a binding letter for another five months, meaning he had the flexibility to go elsewhere if anything changed drastically at Arizona, which has faced federal and NCAA investigations since 2017.

At the same time, Nnaji and his father drew up a physical readiness plan in conjunction with UA strength and conditioning coach Chris Rounds, and Nnaji went on to lead Hopkins to the Minnesota Class 4A state high school title while working on that plan.

Then, in April 2019, Nnaji signed a letter of intent to play for the Wildcats during a ceremony at Hopkins.

He noted one key phrase about Arizona.

“It just checked off the most boxes,” Nnaji said.

Nnaji said he liked the idea that he could study business at UA, and the school also allowed him to practice his piano hobby across campus at the Fred Fox School of Music when he wanted to.

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But, more than anything, the box regarding “opportunity” is the one Nnaji capitalized on. Even though he arrived as a lower-rated prospect than guards Nico Mannion and Josh Green, who both have yet to officially announce their departures, Nnaji made it obvious just a few weeks into the season that he was also potential first-round material.

After privately opening eyes in UA’s preseason practices with his deceiving strength, body control and smarts, Nnaji exploded on the floor at McKale Center in November. He averaged 19.5 points per game while shooting 80.7% from the field over the Wildcats’ first six games before other teams began throwing double-teams and other defensive tricks at him.

Nnaji adjusted to the defenses even as the familiarity of opposing Pac-12 teams worked against him, and became a vastly improved rebounder.

He was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after leading the Wildcats in scoring (16.1) and rebounding (8.6) while shooting 57.0% from the field — despite being in a conference that also featured potential first-round big men such as USC’s Onyeka Okongwu and Washington’s Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels.

As it turned out, the biggest issue for the Wildcats with Nnaji was not using him enough.

After Nnaji didn’t take a single shot for two straight halves — the second half against New Mexico State and the first half against South Dakota State on Nov. 21 — Miller bluntly addressed the issue publicly.

“He was in foul trouble (early against South Dakota State) but it really started in the second half of the last game, where he didn’t take one shot,” Miller said. “He didn’t take one shot. You have the nation’s leading field goal shooter on your team and he doesn’t take one jump hook? Not one? That’s a problem.”

The Wildcats trailed South Dakota State 32-29 at halftime before going on to win that one, 71-64, but the issue still popped up occasionally during the Wildcats’ 10-8 effort in Pac-12 play.

“Clearly, being able to get him the ball in scoring position is a big, big deal,” Miller said on Feb. 25, when answering a question about the UA’s late-game failures in a loss to Oregon three days earlier. “A really, really big deal. Maybe the biggest deal that we have going on here at Arizona basketball in ’19-20.”

In his declaration on Twitter on Tuesday, Nnaji thanked his teammates for pushing him, his family for its support, Miller for taking a chance on “a little known kid from Minnesota,” and UA fans for their enthusiasm, knowledge of the game and embrace of him.

“I will miss McKale Center always,” Nnaji said.

Love, as it turned out, checked off another box for Nnaji along the way.