4 Arizona Wildcats crack top 10 of ESPN’s Final Four starters ranking

Arizona is back in the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and will be joined by upcoming opponent Michigan, UConn and Illinois in Indianapolis this weekend. In a ranking of all 20 players within each team’s starting five, ESPN’s Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello had four Wildcats inside their top 10.

Freshman guard Brayden Burries had the highest ranking of Arizona’s starters at the No. 4 spot. After averaging 15.9 points per game on 49.2% shooting in the regular season, Burries has stepped up his game in the NCAA Tournament.

In four games in the West Region, he scored at least 14 points in each contest on 57.9% shooting along with a 68.4% mark from the 3-point line. That included dropping 23 points in the Sweet 16 against Arkansas and draining four 3s in the Elite Eight against Purdue.

Medcalf writes:

The 6-foot-4 freshman has been as steady and consistent as any young guard in America. He also has proved he can step up on big stages. In a December win over Alabama and projected lottery pick Labaron Philon Jr., Burries racked up a game-high 28 points. In a January loss to BYU and AJ Dybantsa, Burries bested the potential No. 1 pick’s 24 points with 29 of his own. And in a late February victory against Kansas, Burries couldn’t match Darryn Peterson in scoring (24 vs. 20 points), but Peterson couldn’t match Burries’ 12 rebounds and five assists that night, either.

One spot below at No. 5 is freshman forward Koa Peat.

The All-Big 12 Third-Team selection was ranked No. 43 in Medcalf’s ranking of the top-50 players heading into the NCAA Tournament following a regular season that saw him average 13.6 points per game while battling injuries.

Once tournament play began, Peat has showed why Medcalf also regarded him as the No. 16 overall prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft to the tune of 17.5 points per game on 54.2% shooting and 6.8 rebounds per game. His 41 combined points during the second weekend helped him earn NCAA Tournament West All-Region Team and Most Outstanding Player honors.

Borzello writes:

Peat is arguably playing his best basketball since the season opener against Florida, when he announced his arrival in college with 30 points in a win over the Gators. He had a double-double against Utah State in the second round, went for 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting against Arkansas in the Sweet 16, then finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in the comeback win over Purdue in the Elite Eight. The future first-round (NBA Draft) pick won Most Outstanding Player in the West Region.

Senior guard and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley follows right behind at No. 6.

After only scoring seven points in Arizona’s first-round game against Long Island University, Bradley scored 46 combined points while averaging two rebounds and 3.7 assists over the next three games.

The addition of his 84.2% mark from the free-throw line and 29 second-half points helped him join Peat on the NCAA Tournament West All-Region team.

The Big 12 Player of the Year didn’t have the gaudy numbers that players with top conference honors typically produce at the high-major level, but he was the maestro of an Arizona team with depth, an abundance of playmakers and defensive pressure few teams could match. The Wildcats needed a captain. Bradley accepted that role. During their current 13-game winning streak, Bradley has recorded 58 assists and 24 turnovers, better than a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Has has also made 81% of his free throw attempts for a team ranked third in the nation at 26.8 per game. — Medcalf

Rounding out Arizona’s presence in the top 10 is junior center Motiejus Krivas at the No. 10 spot. The Lithuanian native’s 7-foot-2 stature helped the Wildcats dominate the glass for most of their NCAA Tournament games with 9.5 rebounds per game.

His 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks against Arkansas showed how valuable and well-rounded his game can be when on the court.

If he had entered the portal, Krivas might have been the centerpiece for a team with national championship aspirations. Instead, he stayed at Arizona, where he has been one of coach Tommy Lloyd’s best supporting actors on a certified contender. Krivas is on a Wildcats team that features multiple projected lottery picks and the Big 12 Player of the Year. He’s also on one of the deepest rosters. Yet, he he has emerged as the most impactful player that Arizona — a top-five offensive and defensive team nationally — has: The Wildcats are 15.8 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court, per EvanMiya. — Medcalf

Freshman forward Ivan Kharchenkov is the lowest ranked Wildcat in the ranking at No. 14. In 34 minutes per game during the NCAA Tournament, he averaged 14 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on 54.3% shooting.

Kharchenkov played a critical role in Arizona’s Elite Eight victory over Purdue by putting up 18 points and eight rebounds.

The third freshman in Arizona’s starting lineup, Kharchenkov has been the surprise of the Wildcats’ roster. He has established himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country — with a matchup against Lendeborg lined up for Saturday — and has been fantastic in the postseason. The Germany native had 17 points against Iowa State in the Big 12 semifinals, 12 points and seven rebounds in the Big 12 title game against Houston, and is averaging 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in the NCAA tournament. — Borzello

Arizona faces No. 1 Michigan and Medcalf’s No. 1-ranked starter Yaxel Lendeborg in the national semifinal on Saturday at 5:49 p.m. MST.

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