Arizona basketball uses trip to weave in transfers Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, Keshad Johnson

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — While learning about many Middle Eastern cultures during their 10-day exhibition tour, the Arizona Wildcats also spent time trying to build their own.

Between visiting the sights, trying out local food or just playing basketball, the Wildcats met in hotel ballrooms sometimes to discuss the program’s heritage and the sacrifices required of those who join it. UA associate head coach Jack Murphy, who began as a manager under former coach Lute Olson, gave a well-regarded lecture about the program’s history.

“A lot of great guys came to Arizona,” guard Caleb Love said. “I’m looking forward to being part of that.”

For Love and the Wildcats’ two other transfers, Jaden Bradley and Keshad Johnson, the lessons about their new program especially could be of value. Unlike the returners, who already know coach Tommy Lloyd’s system, and the freshmen, who have no preconceived notions about a college program, Arizona’s three transfers are all high-profile players from high-profile programs.

They are guys who could bring their own habits and agendas brought over from previous programs and roles.

“We’ve got people from all over,” Bradley said in Israel, during the first segment of the Wildcats’ trip. “We’ve got quite a few European guys, we’ve got transfers. Those 10 workouts (before the trip) helped with building chemistry and this trip is definitely helping us build that team bond that we need.”

While Bradley was second in assists (3.1) on the Alabama roster last season, and Johnson started for the national runners-up at San Diego State, Love led North Carolina in scoring last season (16.7) and took nearly a quarter of the Tar Heels’ shots.

Love is expected to be among Arizona’s leading scorers this season but, if the Wildcats’ exhibition tour was any indication, he’ll become so as part of what appeared a balanced and pass-happy offense during the exhibition tour. Arizona had seven players averaging in double-figures and set up 86 of its 126 field goals (68.3%) with assists.

Also, Love went from playing for a team ranked No. 51 in tempo to one that ranked 10th last season and may be even more uptempo this season, considering the makeup of its perimeter-oriented roster.

“We play a lot faster. We play a lot with a lot more movement and cutting,” Love said. “That’s different than what I’ve been used to. It’s been great knowing you’re going to get easy basket and not have to force anything because within our offense you can a lot of easy buckets, with guys creating for each other. We’re really just really just hooping — coach Lloyd lets us plays with a lot of freedom within his system, and it’s been great.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Johnson came in knowing a little about the Wildcats’ history and style of play. He played against them in the semifinals of last season’s Maui Invitational, collecting eight points and five rebounds in the Aztecs’ 87-70 loss. He’ll be moving up from the No. 75-ranked team in Kenpom’s adjusted tempo, too.

“Here at Arizona, they’ve got a history of playing kind of free within their framework,” Johnson said. “Coach Tommy Lloyd does a great job of letting us play free and just coaching us through that, through our mistakes. He gives us a lot of leeway.

“As a player, that’s what you want. You need to be a dog without a leash instead of a dog on a leash.”

Johnson wound up leading the Wildcats in scoring over the three-game exhibition swing, averaging 14.7 points thanks to a 24-point outburst in their opener against Israel Select. Love averaged 11.0 points while shooting 38.7% overall, hitting 2 of 16 3-pointers.

Bradley mixed into the group with some careful shooting and ballhandling. He averaged 7.7 points and 4.3 assists but averaged only one turnover a game and shot 58.9% overall despite a 1 for 6 mark from 3-point range.

“Everybody’s been playing a little of everything — on the ball and off the ball,” Bradley said. “Definitely getting to know the guys that you’re playing with is a big part, knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses and helping each other be successful. I think our backcourt is very elite. We have a chance to do great things.”

But Lloyd said before and during the trip he wasn’t going to read into individual or group production and start making assessments off of that. He said he wanted to “kind of see where certain guys are at,” but was only looking to instill the pace he wanted them to play at and the effort he wanted them to play at.

In other words, he wanted them to start playing like the Wildcats before them.

The way he spoke toward the end of the Wildcats’ trip, Love is on board with that.

“I didn’t know what to expect but I did feel like it was gonna definitely be a great fit for me as far as being in Arizona culture,” Love said. “I knew that was gonna be good. I just didn’t know how the dynamic of the team was gonna look. It’s been a great transition, an easy transition.”