Brayden Burries and Koa Peat have more in common than being five-star Arizona freshman basketball players.
First off, they’re multitalented. In this era of so-called “positionless” basketball, both can play multiple spots.
The 6-foot-4 Burries described himself as a “lead guard.”
“Somebody who can shoot, defend, rebound,” Burries said Wednesday at Richard Jefferson Gymnasium in his and Peat’s first interaction with the Tucson media. “Just a winner, honestly.”
Arizona freshman Brayden Burries answers questions from local media at Richard Jefferson Gym on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.
As a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, California, Burries averaged 29.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.9 steals per game. He led the Mustangs to their first state championship, scoring 44 points in the title game.
The 6-8 Peat could be a small forward, a power forward or even a point forward.
“I’m just a basketball player,” he said. “Just a versatile player that could do a little bit of everything — just doing whatever the coaches tell me to do, whatever position the coaches want me to play.”
Despite an injured right hand, Peat led Gilbert Perry to its fourth consecutive state championship. He scored 20 points in the title game.
Peat played under Sam Duane Jr., who coached several of his siblings. They include older brother Cassius, who also won four consecutive state championships under Duane at Tempe Corona Del Sol.
All seven Peat kids have played or are still playing college football or basketball. Their father, Todd, was an offensive lineman in the NFL. So is the second oldest of Koa’s big brothers, Andrus.
“It was great growing up in that family with a lot of knowledge,” Peat said. “My older brothers and sisters helped me ... stay grounded, stay humble and told me to always stay in the gym and just be as hardworking as I can.
Arizona freshman Koa Peat fields a question during his time in front of local media at Richard Jefferson Gym on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.
“I think they’re proud of me for sure. I’m gonna keep doing what they instilled in me.”
Another of Koa’s older brothers, Keona, transferred from Arizona State to Arizona earlier this year. Keona is an offensive lineman for the UA football team. The two eat together and hang out whenever they can.
“I see him at Bear Down Kitchen every day, usually,” Koa Peat said. “Then I’ll come back home at night, and he’ll be done with (training) camp, and we’ll maybe watch a movie, play video games or something like that.”
Burries also comes from an athletic family. His father, Bobby, is a member of the Cal Sate San Bernardino Hall of Fame. He was a three-time Division II All-American who scored 1,399 career points with the Coyotes.
Burries’ mother, Hannah, played softball at Tennessee and basketball at Cal State San Bernardino, where she met Bobby.
One of Brayden’s four siblings, Robert Jr., or BJ, graduated from Globe High School as the all-time leading scorer in boys basketball in the state of Arizona. BJ went on to play at Mesa Community College.
Like Keona Peat, BJ Burries is now a member of the Wildcat family. He’s a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team.
Brayden and BJ grew up in different states. They’re now able to see each other regularly.
“Continuing to get to know each other, push each other,” Brayden Burries said. “Days, say, I don’t want to do something, he’s there to push me and make sure I can get it done. It’s great to have somebody like that in your corner.”
When you’re a consensus five-star, top-10 recruit, the NBA is always around the corner. Both Burries and Peat aspire to get there someday.
But when it comes to their goals for the upcoming season, both are focused on team-oriented objectives.
Arizona freshman Koa Peat talks to members of the media at Richard Jefferson Gym on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.
“I want to win March Madness,” Burries said. “I want to win the Big 12. I want to see players on my team get drafted.”
And Peat?
“Same as Brayden,” he said. “If we win and we’re good as a team, all the other stuff will take care of itself.”
Assist from Terry
Peat’s recruitment came down to the wire. A longtime friend helped nudge him toward Arizona.
Former Wildcat Dalen Terry also grew up in the Phoenix area and attended the same middle school as Peat — Kyrene Aprende Middle School in Chandler.
Peat asked Terry what he thought about Arizona and Tommy Lloyd, who coached Terry during the 2021-22 season.
“Coach Lloyd’s a great coach,” Terry said, per Peat’s retelling. “He’s gonna let you play if you just go out there and play hard and you’re a good player, good character, good kid.”
Peat got a sneak preview this summer when he played for Lloyd on the USA U19 national team. The team won the gold medal in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland. Peat averaged 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in the tournament.
“It was a great experience, playing with the best players in the country, the best coaches in the country,” said Peat, who’s been part of multiple gold-medal-winning squads for USA Basketball.
“Going against those guys every day got me better, and being coached by Coach Lloyd and the other coaches got me better.”
Heavy lift
When he spoke to the media last week, transfer guard Evan Nelson mentioned his “Welcome to Arizona” moment. Burries had one of those, too — an encounter in the paint with 6-8, 250-pound power forward Tobe Awaka.
“We were doing this rebounding drill,” Burries said. “I came off the opposite block. He’s on the wing. He was coming in. I had to box him out. He just, like, bulldozed me all the way to the other side.”
Burries expects to get a lot stronger over the next year working with strength-and-conditioning coach Chris Rounds. Weightlifting wasn’t part of Burries’ routine in high school.
Arizona senior Jaden Bradley, left, and freshman Brayden Burries join the local media to ask questions of freshman Koa Peat at Richard Jefferson Gym on Aug. 6, 2025.
“It’s gonna be a big part of my game,” he said. “When I was in high school, I didn’t lift at all. I just did push-ups and pull-ups. But now, being able to get in the facility and have somebody help me, guide me over summer, the workouts we’re doing for strength, only can get me better.”
Rim shots
– The latest round of interviews with UA men’s basketball players took place at Richard Jefferson Gym instead of McKale Center because the finishing touches are being put on the redesigned basketball court. It’s expected to be unveiled sometime this month.
– All incoming freshmen are on campus except 6-11 forward Sidi Gueye. Gueye is from Senegal, which is among the countries facing travel restrictions to the U.S. under the current administration. The UA remains optimistic that Gueye will be able to join the team.
