Arizona Men's Basketball to play in 2026 Maui Invitational.
Not sure if this has been posted nor discussed at all any time recently.
The 2026 Maui Invitational field will feature Arizona, BYU, Clemson, Colorado State, Ole Miss, Providence, VCU and Washington ---> Very strange field for the Maui TBH. Usually there are at least 2 or 3 other Highly Prominent Schools going. I would hate to think the Maui is losing it's luster and going to Hawaii is considered a "chore" for these highly paid professional stoo-dent ath-o-leets (in my Cartman voice). Perhaps the Bad Boy Mower Bahamas "Massacre" Tournament that typically ruins us is becoming the New Maui?
Six of the eight teams in the field appeared in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with three of them (Arizona, BYU and Ole Miss) advancing to the Sweet 16.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/69538/arizona-wildcats-basketball-2026-maui-invitational-field
These types of tournaments will be seeing less and less of the premier programs as more schools are opting to take part in the ones that pay cash now - like the Player's Era tourney in Vegas. Eighteen teams including Kansas, Zags, Bama, Houston, Tenn, etc this yr. Each participant gets 1 mil in NIL funds and the winner gets an additional mil.
Quote from: Deb on September 15, 2025, 06:24:20 PMThese types of tournaments will be seeing less and less of the premier programs as more schools are opting to take part in the ones that pay cash now - like the Player's Era tourney in Vegas. Eighteen teams including Kansas, Zags, Bama, Houston, Tenn, etc this yr. Each participant gets 1 mil in NIL funds and the winner gets an additional mil.
Very suspect to me to not get in position to compete for cash. Might as well skip March Madness until it starts paying and play the Vegas Edition for Cash instead like many teams did when opting out of the NIT.
It's definitely an odd mix but Maui will always be a top priority for the big programs. It's a HUGE recruiting advantage, to tell a prospect that you're playing in Lahaina.
I'm hoping to be there again. Such an amazing and intimate experience throughout the Thanksgiving week.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on September 16, 2025, 06:15:46 AMIt's definitely an odd mix but Maui will always be a top priority for the big programs. It's a HUGE recruiting advantage, to tell a prospect that you're playing in Lahaina.
I'm hoping to be there again. Such an amazing and intimate experience throughout the Thanksgiving week.
Lahaina basically burned down and is a massive construction zone for predatory "entrepreneurs" who have displaced the people who lost everything. In 10 years it may be a bustling "Pacific Dubai", but I don't see the allure as a whole for now.
If I were a kid in HS, I would go to a school that let me play for money beyond my NIL contract. I bet that CBC or whatever it is called in Vegas will be Loaded this year.
Can't wait for 1 of the 68 March Madness teams to Opt Out and go for the Money. Especially if it is an Auto-Bid Mid Major. I wonder how it works overall. If they can simply decline to play and go to a different tournament.
Yeah, the fire was devastating for the locals that were dependent upon tourism. It's nostalgic for me because I visited often, prior to having kids.
For the players, it's still an amazing trip. They stay in world class hotels (most recently Hyatt) with ocean front views, fun night-time activities and one of the most intimate gyms to host competitive basketball.
Recruits are impressed, regardless of the recent tourist changes.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on September 17, 2025, 07:31:27 PMYeah, the fire was devastating for the locals that were dependent upon tourism. It's nostalgic for me because I visited often, prior to having kids.
For the players, it's still an amazing trip. They stay in world class hotels (most recently Hyatt) with ocean front views, fun night-time activities and one of the most intimate gyms to host competitive basketball.
Recruits are impressed, regardless of the recent tourist changes.
Maybe. I guess it depends on the Prospect at this point. They are all Millionaires in High School now if they are Blue Chips. Not sure what really impresses anyone anymore. Highly subjective.
I personally would only want to play for the money. I can buy a trip to Hawaii with that money and actually be allowed out of my Hotel Room unsupervised to have fun.
That pool looks very watered down.
Assuming Arizona would be the best in the pool, there is no clear-cut option on who would be the 2nd best program.
BYU or VCU would be my guess, but that is a far drop from when they would have two preseason top 10 programs on each side of the bracket in hopes that they meet in the finals.
Programs like a Kansas/North Carolina/Duke/Houston/Texas/Gonzaga used to be penciled in to these tournaments.
Now they are doing their own thing, and it shows..
#BearDown
Quote from: mvpreed2 on September 18, 2025, 04:20:11 PMPrograms like a Kansas/North Carolina/Duke/Houston/Texas/Gonzaga used to be penciled in to these tournaments.
Tommy may just have to learn the hard way on this one. Win it and not go back. Then follow these programs to the money.
With the second best recruiting class in the country, I think he made the right choice.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on September 20, 2025, 04:59:32 AMWith the second best recruiting class in the country, I think he made the right choice.
That is news to me. Who is coming on board for the 2026-2027 season so far?
Same amount of kids that were signed up by this point last year. Recruits will be forced to commit to Arizona late this year because they truly won't know which players are leaning towards the NBA until OOC play is established (and draft boards become more than an unprofessional "guess").