With Arizona men’s basketball returning a few known prospects and adding a freshman potentially headed for the draft lottery, Tommy Lloyd’s group will make Tucson a popular destination for NBA scouts.
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According to ESPN’s top 100 draft board, preseason No. 10 Arizona is tied for the second-most top-40 prospects with three: freshman forward Carter Bryant (No. 13), junior center Motiejus Krivas (No. 17) and sophomore wing K.J. Lewis (No. 34).
Only Duke, who will be in Tucson for a matchup of preseason top 10 teams on Nov. 22, has more (four).
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello said the Wildcats’ prospects may offer more questions than answers, but Bryant is one prospect who isn’t a question mark.
Highly touted since early in his high school career, he had consistency issues, but his decision-making and work ethic improved in the past year. Will that continue in college? Early buzz out of Tucson has been positive.
Krivas is set to become a full-time starter after Oumar Ballo’s transfer to Indiana. The enormous center’s defensive flashes have NBA teams intrigued, Borzello wrote.
He’s replacing All-Pac-12 big man Oumar Ballo, and showed flashes as his backup a season ago. The 7-foot-3 center is already a terrific defensive player. It’s worth noting he and Bryant have both been slowed by preseason injuries.
Outside the first round, Lewis was joined on the ESPN list by teammates Jaden Bradley (No. 55), Caleb Love (No. 89) and transfers Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso (both outside the top 100).
Lewis and Bradley each have a chance to take steps forward and more prominently establish themselves with bigger roles on tap for 2024-25.
It’s clear Love will be a focal point for the team, and his shooting efficiency and playmaking will likely determine his NBA stock. Borzello said whichever players step up around Love will determine how many prospects the Wildcats can produce.
from Arizona Sports https://ift.tt/rNtxs1R
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