https://247sports.com/player/bruce-branch-iii-46150356/
Does anyone have a heads up on the Bruce Branch III front?
Reclassified today.
Tommy must act with haste.
Holmes has already committed. It isn't assumed that Lloyd couldn't land both but it's unlikely that two players with a similar game (and size) would commit to Arizona, especially if Kharchenkov returns.
We're a football school.
Hope arizona can get bruce branch, we only have holmes committed, dought we land caleb holt, i think there is room to land 2 wings in class, I think burries will leave, delly graduates.
Quote from: Jdmarti on November 23, 2025, 08:38:35 AMHope arizona can get bruce branch, we only have holmes committed, dought we land caleb holt, i think there is room to land 2 wings in class, I think burries will leave, delly graduates.
What about Aristode and Ivan?
I see why coaches are not fans of this reclass move by prospects.
You have your board set for the 2026 class.
Then your #1 SF on your 2027 board classes back up to his original class.
Now you and your staff have to add a name to board, shuffle the deck and go from there.
I am sure Lloyd and his staff are going to recruit Branch.
The question/tactic that this staff would have to answer is how are we going to delegate our G/F rotation with the possibility of having Aristode/Branch/Holmes/Kharchenkov in 2026-27?
The simple answer is that you start Aristode/Kharchenkov and the better of Branch/Holmes.
Hell, you could start three of them if Burries leaves and you don't land an elite PF in this class.
#BearDown
I envision Burries, Aristode and Kharchenkov starting in our backcourt next year, with Holmes coming off the bench.
We will need another combo guard, backup wing and 2 frontcourt recruits/transfers, depending on the NBA draft situation.
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on November 23, 2025, 11:43:38 AMWhat about Aristode and Ivan?
Sir, those are "NBA Players" according to Dan Hurley's ego.
Quote from: mvpreed2 on November 23, 2025, 12:18:17 PMThe simple answer is that you start Aristode/Kharchenkov and the better of Branch/Holmes.
Even more simple - You do the "Tommy Tactic" and force the international players to leave and make room.
People are forgetting Bryce James is here too. Is he a McRib? Only here for a Limited Time?
Or is he actually planning to suit up for Arizona?
The James Family pull matters.
Ivan can easily become an odd man out and seek employment elsewhere. Not even going to get into Burries yet.
Perhaps Hurley also thought Adama Bal was a lottery pick.
Quote from: arxpert on November 24, 2025, 12:58:13 PMQuote from: mvpreed2 on November 23, 2025, 12:18:17 PMThe simple answer is that you start Aristode/Kharchenkov and the better of Branch/Holmes.
Even more simple - You do the "Tommy Tactic" and force the international players to leave and make room.
People are forgetting Bryce James is here too. Is he a McRib? Only here for a Limited Time?
Or is he actually planning to suit up for Arizona?
The James Family pull matters.
Ivan can easily become an odd man out and seek employment elsewhere. Not even going to get into Burries yet.
If anyone didn't realize Bryce is red shirting this season. That would make sense to come back a rs Soph and get minutes. Lloyd is actually being respectful doing this.
Quote from: lynxaz on November 24, 2025, 10:53:11 PMQuote from: arxpert on November 24, 2025, 12:58:13 PMQuote from: mvpreed2 on November 23, 2025, 12:18:17 PMThe simple answer is that you start Aristode/Kharchenkov and the better of Branch/Holmes.
Even more simple - You do the "Tommy Tactic" and force the international players to leave and make room.
People are forgetting Bryce James is here too. Is he a McRib? Only here for a Limited Time?
Or is he actually planning to suit up for Arizona?
The James Family pull matters.
Ivan can easily become an odd man out and seek employment elsewhere. Not even going to get into Burries yet.
If anyone didn't realize Bryce is red shirting this season. That would make sense to come back a rs Soph and get minutes. Lloyd is actually being respectful doing this.
But is he coming back or is he moving on to the Bronny path so he can get the money from the TRIPLE JAMES LOGO MAN TOPPS cards?
Where is the real commitment that he is going to stay and develop?
Quote from: KansasCityCats on November 24, 2025, 05:15:58 PMPerhaps Hurley also thought Adama Bal was a lottery pick.
Perhaps. Perhaps you can't accept that players are excelling away from Tommy
Quote from: arxpert on November 24, 2025, 10:59:17 PMQuote from: lynxaz on November 24, 2025, 10:53:11 PMQuote from: arxpert on November 24, 2025, 12:58:13 PMQuote from: mvpreed2 on November 23, 2025, 12:18:17 PMThe simple answer is that you start Aristode/Kharchenkov and the better of Branch/Holmes.
Even more simple - You do the "Tommy Tactic" and force the international players to leave and make room.
People are forgetting Bryce James is here too. Is he a McRib? Only here for a Limited Time?
Or is he actually planning to suit up for Arizona?
The James Family pull matters.
Ivan can easily become an odd man out and seek employment elsewhere. Not even going to get into Burries yet.
If anyone didn't realize Bryce is red shirting this season. That would make sense to come back a rs Soph and get minutes. Lloyd is actually being respectful doing this.
But is he coming back or is he moving on to the Bronny path so he can get the money from the TRIPLE JAMES LOGO MAN TOPPS cards?
Where is the real commitment that he is going to stay and develop?
Lloyd working with him on rs and not giving up his eligibility is Lloyd's commitment the rest is up to James. If he wants to leave so be it.
Quote from: lynxaz on November 24, 2025, 11:18:08 PMLloyd working with him on rs and not giving up his eligibility is Lloyd's commitment the rest is up to James. If he wants to leave so be it.
Hence RECRUITING and SIGNING Bruce Branch III. No reason to avoid it.
That doesn't mean James won't play the wing in a rotation with Aristode, Branch and Kharchemkov. Lloyd put his faith into freshmen that were ready and the fact that three newcomers are starting is proof.
James needed a year and he's a team player that accepted the role of learning under a system that will make him a better player in the future.
There's a chance that he transfers. Nobody wants that to happen but it's part of the game. I'd love to see him step up as a RS-freshman.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on November 25, 2025, 06:09:08 AMThat doesn't mean James won't play the wing in a rotation with Aristode, Branch and Kharchemkov. Lloyd put his faith into freshmen that were ready and the fact that three newcomers are starting is proof.
James needed a year and he's a team player that accepted the role of learning under a system that will make him a better player in the future.
There's a chance that he transfers. Nobody wants that to happen but it's part of the game. I'd love to see him step up as a RS-freshman.
UConn won championships with 6'5-6'7 players all over the court. No reason Tommy cannot bring in Branch with this reclassification.
Quote from: arxpert on November 24, 2025, 12:58:13 PMEven more simple - You do the "Tommy Tactic" and force the international players to leave and make room.
People are forgetting Bryce James is here too. Is he a McRib? Only here for a Limited Time?
Or is he actually planning to suit up for Arizona?
The James Family pull matters.
Ivan can easily become an odd man out and seek employment elsewhere. Not even going to get into Burries yet.
1. I really hope Lloyd stops doing whatever he has done to bring in these international prospects for ALL of them to have transferred out.
Not a single one stayed at Arizona, and no I am not going to count Larsson because he came in transition from the Miller to Lloyd era.
2. Naw nobody has forgot about James, and I have him penciled in to replace the Dell'Orso role next season.
He will come off the bench, shoot 3s and play defense in his first year as he continues to develop.
Now if he is able to grow another 2-3 inches to be about 6'7 or so?
I believe he is going to be a starter based off his ability to shoot/defend and not command the ball in the flow of the offense.
3. Kharchenkov bet not be the odd man out!
I am/was very high on Kharchenkov because Lloyd needs 3/D wings to maximize his scheme.
As I type this, he is going to be the 2nd best player on this roster next season if everything remains chalk.
Awaka/Bradley/Dell'Orso graduate, Burries/Peat off to the NBA, and then you have returning starters in Kharchenkov/Krivas.
Lloyd needs to figure out how to retain some of his lesser used prospects and promote from within instead of always hitting free agency to fill needs.
I am going to take him for his word and that he is going to use freshmen + returners to fill voids on his team moving forward.
If he does, he will have a core of returners in Aristode/James/Kharchenkov/Krivas to add Holmes and the rest of his 2026 class to build out his 8-man rotation.
#BearDown
Quote from: mvpreed2 on November 27, 2025, 10:35:58 AMI am/was very high on Kharchenkov because Lloyd needs 3/D wings to maximize his scheme.
I keep saying that I like Ivan's euro style where he plays a tough brand and has a little bit of that mother russian pride where he doesn't like being pushed around... BUT he also learned the artform of the embellish (just short of the flop). Kerr Kriisa used to just lay on the floor... Ivan is absorbing contact and making it work for him.
I also agree that Tommy has lost most of his International Finds at this point. If he can sign a Branch III and Holt it won't matter.
Bruce Pearl went on TV last week talking about how he couldn't even get a meeting with a "kid from the Dominican Republic" without 1 Million deposited into a bank account.
I had to laugh because of how he said it with disgust.
These kids are out of control and have no business being on Campus in Academia.