2025 Transfer Portal

[arxpert]

College basketball in general is shifting to that lineup of having a lead guard, three 6'8 wings, and a huge (height + weight) big that can control the paint on both sides.
This can work with Lloyd at Arizona as long as he does not recruit the type(s) of prospects that have to have to the ball in their hands to be effective

This is a good call. I still think following the UCONN model is smart. Get players who can all dribble up court. Get all guys in the 6'5" to 6'8" range that can snap 3s, play inside, or hit mid range jumpers...

Then be able to run back on defense and smother opponents with size. This is something Houston did well this year, but they just dont have that 1 Donovan Clingan (and i think that will hurt them vs Duke this weekend when they face the Sudanese kid 7'2" 260).

We are witnessing a seismic shift in this level of the game (college). Portal is huge. Many teams are losing their whole time and just rebuilding. Chemistry doesn't have to be the prevailing characteristic anymore, but it helps.

Maybe I will just call this the "Mercenary Era". I think a great coach could put together a team year to year and make it work. We can think of it like... 9 out of 10 mass rebuilds year to year may fail, but 1 may win the whole thing.

And finally yes, I really do think Tommy is getting closer to getting an all around Bigger team that isn't just saturated with 3 or 4 7fters that can't all play. My hope is we get some role players in the 6'6" to 6"8" range that can come in and perform 3+D at a high level. Not looking for 6'6" 240lb Townsend types that can't compete with top tier athletes night-in night-out. He was much better than Arizona made him look this year.

ADO is an example of someone I only want from deep off the bench if we have a true Floor General. He shouldn't be out there as a starter thinking he can play Man to Man defense again night in night out. Either Tommy has to mix in some zones, or recruit bigger "dudes" to Man-Up

[arxpert]

Bennett Stirtz would have been a great get. Dude is a real bucket. Too bad. He fits the Iowa motif I guess. Followed his coach maybe?

The kids from Maryland this season would be good players to look at.

Also the guy Rick Pitino betrayed in March Madness after he laid it all out on the line for St. Johns.. RJ Luis Jr... kid earned some big accolades only to be disrespected like that by Pitino.

Maybe he would have interest in bringing some toughness to Tucson.

I hope if nothing else we land some Grit and Toughness because we basically lost almost all of that as of right now.

[WerderBremen]

Commits:


Prospect:

PF - Nick Davidson (Nevada)
G - Darius Carr (San Bernardino CC)
G - Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech) - High Point
SF - Tyrone Riley IV (San Fran)
PF - Morez Johnson (Illinois)

[KansasCityCats]

Mixed emotions.  Wilkerson is definitely talented enough to start for Arizona.  I watched him twice this season and once was the CSUN tournament game, which wasn't his best performance.  Regardless, he plays hard and has a nice stroke.

I personally hope that we can land Burries because we have enough scorers on the roster and an "alpha" shooter wouldn't help the chemistry on the team.

We have enough scorers?  We lost 3 of our top 4 producers (and JB is getting offers). Lloyd needs a couple guys that can create and score.

Love and Lewis have the WORST shooting percentage on the team.

Our top 3PT% shooters are Martinez, Delly, Awaka and Bryant.

Add Peat, Aristode and James, who won't shoot at an absurd clip...and this team will be extremely efficient.

Yes, Arizona is trimming the fat and absolutely improves on the offensive side of the ball.

[arxpert]

I only care about adding Two Way players. Improved defense is the more important thing. Not just going through the motions. We will get 1 year of whatever chimera shows up next year as a team, so Tommy needs to make it count.

[KansasCityCats]

I envision defense improving as the season progresses. With possibly four talented freshmen on the roster, it'll take some time to learn the system.

It was the same way with Miller's teams. I enjoyed watching the pack line improve.

[mvpreed2]

This is a good call. I still think following the UCONN model is smart. Get players who can all dribble up court. Get all guys in the 6'5" to 6'8" range that can snap 3s, play inside, or hit mid range jumpers...

And finally yes, I really do think Tommy is getting closer to getting an all around Bigger team that isn't just saturated with 3 or 4 7fters that can't all play. My hope is we get some role players in the 6'6" to 6"8" range that can come in and perform 3+D at a high level. Not looking for 6'6" 240lb Townsend types that can't compete with top tier athletes night-in night-out. He was much better than Arizona made him look this year.

I do not believe Lloyd is really going to be able to raise the floor of this program until he places a bit more emphasis on sitting in a chair.
There have been a few too many prospects to come to Arizona and not place an emphasis on defense.
Unless the plan is going to be to outscore everyone, I am not sure how this is going to look.
#BearDown

[arxpert]

I do not believe Lloyd is really going to be able to raise the floor of this program until he places a bit more emphasis on sitting in a chair.
There have been a few too many prospects to come to Arizona and not place an emphasis on defense.
Unless the plan is going to be to outscore everyone, I am not sure how this is going to look.
#BearDown

I again concur. It is going to be difficult to instill defense into a new "core". Year to year. I won't blame Tommy much more than I normally do for that, but at some point his system has to be balanced more toward Offense and Defense, not just trying to outscore in 90-80 games.. We have some serious talent coming.

I am not sure if he knew nor expected the Henri thing. Part of me hopes he is just trying to get some exposure and then return, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Sometimes... most of the time lately, the players who leave are finding success elsewhere. Paulius notably. Batcho did pretty well. Of course some didn't like Dylan Anderson, but he may cash in the CBC if he is playing.

The Portal stuff is complicated. There are around 1250 players last I looked? As much as I put Tommy in the pressure cooker, he really may need to have a de facto GM to handle this turnover.

I think Tommy can pick talent, but I don't think he is in the mold of Sean Miller who was able to "do it all". Business and Coach. I get that people think Miller was more boring. I don't agree. Winning is winning. Elite 8s are Elite 8's to me.

I accept Tommy, but I really want to see him evolve his system to adapt to who he has. Not force the round peg in square hole so to speak.

We could have a pretty dangerous half court style team if it is like:

Burries
Bradley
Carter
Koa Peat
Awaka

Then there are guys like
Conrad
ADO
Mo Krivas

3/5 guys who could play a slower Half Court approach.

The first 5 can be up tempo, but Mo Krivas just isn't in that mold... however if "Budinga" transferred in, then yes we have someone who can play the 4 or 5 with a great shot blocking wingspan.

[mvpreed2]

I again concur. It is going to be difficult to instill defense into a new "core". Year to year. I won't blame Tommy much more than I normally do for that, but at some point his system has to be balanced more toward Offense and Defense, not just trying to outscore in 90-80 games.. We have some serious talent coming.

I am not sure if he knew nor expected the Henri thing. Part of me hopes he is just trying to get some exposure and then return, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Sometimes... most of the time lately, the players who leave are finding success elsewhere. Paulius notably. Batcho did pretty well. Of course some didn't like Dylan Anderson, but he may cash in the CBC if he is playing.

The Portal stuff is complicated. There are around 1250 players last I looked? As much as I put Tommy in the pressure cooker, he really may need to have a de facto GM to handle this turnover.

I think Tommy can pick talent, but I don't think he is in the mold of Sean Miller who was able to "do it all". Business and Coach. I get that people think Miller was more boring. I don't agree. Winning is winning. Elite 8s are Elite 8's to me.

I accept Tommy, but I really want to see him evolve his system to adapt to who he has. Not force the round peg in square hole so to speak.

We could have a pretty dangerous half court style team if it is like:

Burries
Bradley
Carter
Koa Peat
Awaka

Then there are guys like
Conrad
ADO
Mo Krivas

3/5 guys who could play a slower Half Court approach.

The first 5 can be up tempo, but Mo Krivas just isn't in that mold... however if "Budinga" transferred in, then yes we have someone who can play the 4 or 5 with a great shot blocking wingspan.

I can see the vision when Lloyd brings guys in.
My issue is you brought in someone that does exactly what the guy that left did in some cases.
The only one where you got the upgrade was with Awaka over Anderson.
Hindsight is 20/20, but for what my eyes saw as a whole?
I would take back BOTH Borovicanin/Maruaskas on this team as opposed to Dell'Orso/Townsend.

I have no idea how Lloyd is going to try to revamp this roster, but if he lands both Burries and Peat?
He is going to need to find niche role players because those two freshmen, paired with Bryant are going to be your core scorers; whether you want them to be or not.
You do not bring in 5* prospects to be role players.
You bring them in to give them the ball, let them cook, and send their *** off to the NBA in 9mos.
#BearDown

[WerderBremen]

Commits:


Prospect:

PF - Nick Davidson (Nevada)
G - Darius Carr (San Bernardino CC)
G - Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech) - High Point
SF - Tyrone Riley IV (San Fran)
PF - Morez Johnson (Illinois) - Michigan