Arizona Basketball 2024-2025 - Welcome to the Big-12

TJ

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Scholarship situation:

Who should be back:

Jaden Bradley - Junior
KJ Lewis - Soph
Mo Krivas - Soph
Dylan Anderson - RS Soph
Conrad Martinez - Soph

2024 Recruits

Carter Bryant
Jamari Phillips
Emmanuel Stephen
Joson Sanon (2025 class, but is likely to reclassify to 2024)

50/50 to return

Oumar Ballo - Covid year. Doesnt have an NBA game, so one more year on a decent NIL deal might bring him back or could start the clock on his professional career overseas
Henri Veesaar - Elbow injury derailed his season, but was running behind Dylan Anderson during preseason. May want a bigger role at a smaller school

Likely leaving

Caleb Love - cant do much more in college basketball than he's already done

Kylan Boswell - Rumblings before the season that he was going to declare for the NBA draft regardless of what happened this season, but I dont think anyone expected him to look completely lost at times on the basketball court. Also, some off-the-court issues might play a role here. Plus, Bradley is clearly better and should be in line to start next season. Does Boswell want to come off the bench again? Doubtful

Pelle Larrson - Likely going to declare for the draft and stay in this time.

Definitely Gone

Keshad Johnson - out of eligibility

Paulius Murauskas - transfer

Fili Borovicanin - May want a to play at a smaller school. Never going to play meaningful minutes at Arizona (Update, transfer)


Tommy Lloyd has now earned the reputation as a mediocre tournament coach. Never been worse than a 2 seed and has yet to make it to an elite 8 in three years. Lloyd has become a victim of his own regular season success, and when you coach at Arizona, it's about what you do in March, not November to February. He just signed a large extension, so he's safe for now.

It's as simple as this: Tommy has to do better. He has to either ride or die with Bradley or find a hard-nosed PG in the transfer portal. Boswell aint it.
 
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Russ Smith

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FWIW one rumor this morning is Kentucky is targeting Lloyd to replace Calipari who's taking the Arkansas job
 
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TJ

TJ

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FWIW one rumor this morning is Kentucky is targeting Lloyd to replace Calipari who's taking the Arkansas job
Oats, Drew and a handful of other people would have to say “no” before that happens

Kentucky 247 first Hot Board basically has every notable person in college basketball.
 
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TJ

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Surprised Ballo entered the portal... but, this is the way in college sports I guess.

This was more of a mutual decision than people realize. Ballo coming back would've likely meant losing Krivas and Dylan Anderson, and we have up to three years of both.

Also; Ballo is gonna get more than $500k in NIL money next season. Arizona won’t be able to get in a bidding match with some deep pocket schools
 
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Dback Jon

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Oats, Drew and a handful of other people would have to say “no” before that happens

Kentucky 247 first Hot Board basically has every notable person in college basketball.
Yeah, Lloyd is way down the list.

Oats
Scott Drew
Donovan from the Bulls
Dan Hurley
Chris Collins
Underwood
Mark Pope
 
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TJ

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Yeah, Lloyd is way down the list.

Oats
Scott Drew
Donovan from the Bulls
Dan Hurley
Chris Collins
Underwood
Mark Pope
Add Chris Beard, Jay Wright, Brad Stevens and possibly Sean Miller to that list
 

Russ Smith

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This was more of a mutual decision than people realize. Ballo coming back would've likely meant losing Krivas and Dylan Anderson, and we have up to three years of both.

Also; Ballo is gonna get more than $500k in NIL money next season. Arizona won’t be able to get in a bidding match with some deep pocket schools

Anderson is in the portal too which surprises me
 

Russ Smith

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Add Chris Beard, Jay Wright, Brad Stevens and possibly Sean Miller to that list


Off that list both Wright and Stevens have basically said they'd never coach again in college specifically because of NIL and transfer portal. Beard I can see UK not caring about the personal issues.

Miller I just don't see the uber wealthy UK alums forcing out Cal and then hiring Miller.

The attraction to Lloyd is apparently the offensive system and how well he's done with bigs at UA. not saying he's the favorite just there's talk his name is on the list.
 
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TJ

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Anderson is in the portal too which surprises me

Yeah there have been some surprises and I bet we see one more guy that we don’t expect to leave actually leave. The portal is kinda crappy right now so maybe Dylan gets an opportunity at a small college to start or play minutes
 
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TJ

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Off that list both Wright and Stevens have basically said they'd never coach again in college specifically because of NIL and transfer portal. Beard I can see UK not caring about the personal issues.

Miller I just don't see the uber wealthy UK alums forcing out Cal and then hiring Miller.

The attraction to Lloyd is apparently the offensive system and how well he's done with bigs at UA. not saying he's the favorite just there's talk his name is on the list.
Counterpoint: His tournament record sucks and it just jettisoned a coach who of late has some embarrassing losses
On its resume
 

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Counterpoint: His tournament record sucks and it just jettisoned a coach who of late has some embarrassing losses
On its resume

Oh I'm not saying Lloyd is the best or anything but he's won a ton of games and they play an exciting style which apparently the UK fan base is pushing for. I agree in the end what they REALLY want is winning titles.

My guess is they have little chance getting Hurley away from UCONN, why would he leave there to coach at UK under the microscope when he can win big at UCONN?
 

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Oh I'm not saying Lloyd is the best or anything but he's won a ton of games and they play an exciting style which apparently the UK fan base is pushing for. I agree in the end what they REALLY want is winning titles.

My guess is they have little chance getting Hurley away from UCONN, why would he leave there to coach at UK under the microscope when he can win big at UCONN?
UConn has won two titles (could be three tonight) since Kentucky last won one.

If UConn wins tonight, they will trail only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (8) for more titles, and tie with North Carolina

UConn already is tied for the most titles with Duke and Indiana, and have more than Kansas.

UConn has moved into prime blue blood territory. Kentucky would be at best a lateral move, although one that could potentially pay more.
 

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Since 1998, the prior time UK won a title, UConn has won all five of it's titles.
 

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This was more of a mutual decision than people realize. Ballo coming back would've likely meant losing Krivas and Dylan Anderson, and we have up to three years of both.

Also; Ballo is gonna get more than $500k in NIL money next season. Arizona won’t be able to get in a bidding match with some deep pocket schools
Jesus I hate the new collegiate sports world. Not that I loved ballo. He was above average. But the having to meet certain $$$ requirements on a yearly basis with these kids is killing any continuity.
 
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TJ

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Now Boswell is in the portal. Bradley was pretty much guaranteed the starting PG spot next season and there are talks that Caleb Love is flirting with a return to UofA next season if he gets a poor grade on his NBA draft eval
 

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I’m interested to see how multiple starters entering the portal impacts recruiting in the long run. If you can’t keep guys getting starters minutes what does that start to say about the program? All NIL related?
 
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TJ

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I’m interested to see how multiple starters entering the portal impacts recruiting in the long run. If you can’t keep guys getting starters minutes what does that start to say about the program? All NIL related?
We're only losing two starters: One leaving because he wants to break the bank and the other because of personal off-the-court issues. We have the #5 recruiting class. I dont think it's going to impact recruiting one bit. Arizona's NIL is pretty solid.
 
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