Where Arizona basketball ranks after the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline
May 31, 2024, 10:44 AM
Jaden Bradley #0 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts after scoring against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the NCAAB game at McKale Center on February 17, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
College basketball rosters are closer to being set after the 2024 NBA Draft early entry withdrawal deadline passed Wednesday. Player movement caused some teams to rise up in the ranks. Others fell.
For the Arizona Wildcats, there was no shortage of moving pieces.
It started with the return of senior Caleb Love, who announced his intention to head back to Tucson on Wednesday. An integral piece to the Wildcats’ success last season, Love led the team in points per game (18.0), 3-pointers made (92), field goals (218) and free throws (120) en route to winning the 2023-24 Pac-12 Player of the Year award.
RELATED STORIES
There was fallout, though, notably regarding the four-man recruiting class for 2024 that ranked No. 3 by 247 Sports before Love announced his return.
Telegraphing Love’s decision, four-star guard Jamari Phillips and Arizona reportedly parted ways. Phillips attended Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona, and was ranked as the No. 10 shooting guard in the nation, according to 247 Sports’ composite.
Then came guard Joson Sanon’s decision to flip his commitment to rival Arizona State. Rated as a five-star recruit, Sanon attended Vermont Academy and reclassified to the 2024 class with his initial commitment to the Wildcats.
So where are the Wildcats projected now with the roster that much closer to being settled?
Post-NBA Draft withdrawal deadline power rankings
NCAA.com’s Andy Katz
Katz has the Wildcats at No. 21 in his Power 36 rankings.
The Wildcats have a stellar recruiting class to go along with four top scorers, including Caleb Love to ensure they have an immediate impact in the Big 12. The McKale Center will immediately be one of the toughest venues in the conference.
CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish
Arizona fell three spots from Parrish’s previous ranking despite Love’s return, coming in at No. 16.
This ranking is based on Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats returning four of the top eight scorers — specifically Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, KJ Lewis and Motiejus Krivas — from a team that won the Pac-12 regular-season title and secured a No. 2 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Arizona’s top-25 recruiting class headlined by Oakland transfer Trey Townsend, Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka, Campbell transfer Anthony Dell’Orso and top-30 high school prospect Carter Bryant should help make the program’s transition to the Big 12 go relatively smoothly.
