Check out my article on the preview for Friday's Pac-12 semi-final between No. 8 Arizona and No. 1 Stanford

Going to use this space to track some of the transfers most in play to land at Arizona, and if there's any ones you notice out there who could fit into that category then feel free to drop them in.

Ryan Nembhard (Creighton | 2022-23 stats: 12.1 PPG, 4.8 APG, 4.0 RPG)


Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard is entering the NCAA Transfer Portal and Arizona is expected to be one of the top landing spots for the sophomore from Canada. His brother Andrew was recruited by Tommy Lloyd to Gonzaga and played for the Bulldogs for one season with Lloyd on staff before he left for UA.

Heard last night about this coming down the pipeline from a source on the Creighton side, and the feeling over there is that Arizona is the likely landing spot at this stage.

As of now the process is expected to move pretty fast meaning he could very well be the first offseason addition for the Wildcats and it would be a big one.

The big knock on Nembhard is going to be his 3-point shooting. Arizona will have to figure out where to find some outside shooting elsewhere unless he makes a decent jump after shooting 33.7% from deep this season.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

Arizona has made the top six for 4-star Rivals250 quarterback Isaac Wilson today. The Corner Canyon HS star is one of the Wildcats' top priorities in the 2024 class, and he has been on campus for multiple visits already this offseason. UA is making a strong push but beating out the Utah schools will certainly be difficult, though not impossible.

Login to view embedded media

Hey guys, I wanted to let you know before it is announced today that Arizona shortstop Nik McClaughry has won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Aidan is working on the story and we'll post that when the official announcement is made.

However, this was an easy choice with McClaughry only committing four errors all season long and being the anchor for the Wildcats, which was one of the best defensive teams in the NCAA this season.

Arizona has landed a commitment from Hamilton offensive lineman Toby Mealer, who is 6-foot-5, 340 pounds.

He is an unranked recruit, but has a lot of potential at just 16 years old.

Login to view embedded media
Arizona has announced a home-and-home series with Wisconsin that will begin this season in Tucson. It'll be the first time the two teams meet up at McKale Center in the history of the series. The last time the two teams met up was back in 2015 in the NCAA Tournament. The return trip will come in 2024 when UA travels to Madison.

"We are excited to bring a high-level program like Wisconsin to the McKale Center," Tommy Lloyd said in a statement from the program. "Coach Gard and his staff do a great job putting together a strong team that competes near the top of the Big Ten every year. We know they will come in here and give us their best shot and we look forward to doing the same the following year in Madison."

Wisky leads the all-time series 5-2 and has won the last three matchups. Arizona's last win over the Badgers came in 2006 in the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona vs. Wisconsin All-Time Meetings

Dec. 3, 1962 – Arizona won, 51-46, in Madison, Wis.
Dec. 30, 1966 – Wisconsin won, 104-77, in Los Angeles, Calif., as part of the Los Angeles Classic
March 18, 2000 – Wisconsin won, 66-59, in Salt Lake City in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
March 17, 2006 – Arizona won, 94-75, in Philadelphia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
Nov. 23, 2009 – Wisconsin won, 65-61, in Lahaina, Hawaii as part of the Maui Invitational
March 29, 2014 – Wisconsin won, 64-63 in OT, in Anaheim, Calif., in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament
March 28, 2015 – Wisconsin won, 85-78, in Los Angeles, Calif., in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament

I finally took the time to check out Jaden Bradley's highlight video posted on of the the articles.

This should make everyone feel better about losing out on Nemhard. 6'3". Savvy with the ball, great body control, able to get to the rim. He's able to break down defenses with his dribble and athleticism and is a willing passer. The video shows him in transition, jumping passing lanes, and some of him shutting down drives moving his feet. Of course these are highlights with no lowlights, but it illustrates a skill set that we were missing last year. Teams began to adjust to our offense sagging down on our bigs and getting back in transition. When our outside shots weren't falling, our offense stagnated as we didn't have the ability to get to the rim or much of a midrange game. I'm a believer in Tommy Lloyd's free flowing offense. I think passing and reads can be taught. Having two new starting guards with the athleticism/tools of Bradley and Boswell will enhance Lloyd's offense and add another (missing) dimension ... assuming we can replace the tireless efficiency of Zou.

Login to view embedded media
California's most productive receiver (90 catches, 2,051 yards, 31 TDs in 2022) Dillon Gresham is set to announce his college choice tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Arizona is a finalist alongside Oregon and Washington. I watched him in a passing tournament Saturday (clips below) and talked with him as well about his upcoming decision.

He really likes what Arizona has done at the receiver position especially playing and having success with Tetairoa McMillan as a freshman.

"What they did last year especially with T-Mac (Tetairoa McMillan) being a freshman. I think that stood out to me the most. They truly put in whoever they see is going to help them win. And, with them doing that with T-Mac, I can definitely see them doing that with me as well if I put in the work. So, that definitely stood out. Arizona having two 1,000-yard receivers, it was definitely something to be checked out."

He says he is taking today to make a final decision but Oregon will head into the announcement as the favorite. It is fair to say that if he ends up picking the Ducks that Arizona finished second. He really likes UA and what the staff has done but he also spoke a lot about his future and branding opportunities making it feel like the Ducks are going to win out in this one.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Nazaiah Caravallo has announced his commitment to Arizona after a weekend visit with the Wildcats. The Honolulu-Kamehameha linebacker has held an offer from UA for a little while now and the visit sealed the deal. I watched him a few weeks ago, and he definitely has talent and will be another big body for that linebacker group. I think he has a chance to see some more offers come his way if more schools put in the effort to see him, and he's already starting to get some more attention this spring. So, it is good for UA to get him on board now.

Another solid pickup for the Wildcats and continued success recruiting Hawaii behind Johnny Nansen and Jason Kaufusi plus Josh Omura and the staff at UA.

Login to view embedded media

Like we said yesterday, Arizona has officially landed transfer forward Keshad Johnson for the 2023-24 season. This is a massive get for the Wildcats, who now have a tough rebounding power forward that was one of the best defensive players in the MWC last season.

Here's my article on Johnson and what I think it means for the Wildcats:


Here's Tommy Lloyd's statement on the addition of Johnson.

“Keshad brings a lot of experience and versatility to our team from the start. He scored 14 points in the national championship game last season and was able to impact the game at both ends of the floor, something that is extremely valuable to any team. His leadership and commitment to the team contribute to winning at a high level. We couldn’t be more excited that Keshad and his family are part of our family.”

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

We will begin adding to this list soon as Arizona begins making more offers to transfer players, so continue to watch this thread for updates.

Dec. 6

Login to view embedded media

Cal redshirt junior outside linebacker Orin Patu has been offered by the Wildcats today. He played in 10 games this season and came up with 7 tackles. His best games came against Arizona and Oregon. He had a sack and forced fumble against UA in that game and he intercepted Bo Nix when Cal played the Ducks. He has had a bit of an underwhelming career but shows plenty of potential. Rivals currently has Patu listed as a three-star transfer recruit and the 230th-best transfer in the class.

Other offers: San Diego State

Login to view embedded media

Hey guys, just wanted to post some of the Wildcats recent targets in the portal. Right now it looks like Arizona wants to add another guard to be the a back, or maybe even a starter.

Guards:

Jesse Zarzuela (Central Michigan)
Caleb Love (UNC) decommit from Michigan
D'Marco Dunn (UNC)


Forwards:

Keshad Johnson (SDSU) as Matt posted earlier, he is expected to commit to Arizona.
Arthur Kaluma (Creighton)
Grant Nelson (North Dakota State)


Here's a list of guys Arizona has offered and shown strong a interest in.

Here's Troy's story on Arizona's signing of Lithuanian big man Motiejus Krivas today. The 7-foot-2 center comes from the same team as Kerr Kriisa, so there is some history there. A really nice late 2023 pickup for the Wildcats. Here's Tommy Lloyd's comments on the addition.

“Motiejus is an outstanding player and person,” Lloyd said, “and we are excited to have he and his family join our program. His is a skilled front court player with great touch around the basket, strong passing ability and can make an impact at the rim on the defensive end. Coming from Zalgiris II in Lithuania, one of the top youth clubs in Europe, he has been part of their elite development program and helped them win at the highest level.”

And here's some addition info from Arizona's press release on the signing: Standing 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Motiejus Krivas (“Mo-tee-ay-yus KREE-vas") helped Zalgiris 2 win the NKL championship in the second division of Lithuanian basketball. He was voted the top defender in the league and posted averages of 13.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots and 1.5 assists. He
led the NKL in rebounding and blocks and was among the leaders in efficiency and free throw attempts.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
The meeting between Arizona and Michigan State on Thanksgiving (Nov. 23) in Palm Desert, California has officially been announced. The two teams will meet for the 8th time and the Wildcats lead the all-time series 5-2. The game will take place at Acrisure Arena as part of the Acrisure Classic with tip set for 1:30 p.m. (PT). The lead-in for the game will be the Thanksgiving NFL matchup between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers with both games set to be aired by FOX.

Arizona-Michigan St. all-time series breakdown

Jan. 2, 1947 – Arizona wins, 45-43, in East Lansing, Mich.

Dec. 29, 1987 – Arizona wins, 78-58, in Tucson, Ariz.

Dec. 11, 1999 – Arizona wins, 79-68, in Tucson, Ariz.

March 31, 2001 – Arizona wins, 80-61, in Minneapolis, Minn.

Dec. 15, 2001 – Michigan State wins, 74-60, in East Lansing, Mich.

Nov. 23, 2005 – Michigan State wins, 74-71 (OT), in Lahaina, Hawaii

Nov. 11, 2016 – Arizona wins, 65-63, in Honolulu, Hawaii

Hey Weslo did the UofA just sign Skylar Jones? I know you are up to date on these recruits. Do you know anything about her? What does she bring? is she a reach or someone we have been looking at?

Login to view embedded media
Four-star Vegas point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. is set to take an official visit to Arizona next week. He mentioned it to me recently and Rivals national recruiting analyst Travis Graf confirmed the visit for next week. Thomas has already taken multiple unofficial visits to Tucson previously with the last one coming in the fall before the start of the season. Thomas told me he is not ready to make a decision but is getting closer. He plans to see Florida next month then take things from there. There have been some hints that he could reclassify but for now he's a 2024 recruit. I watched him last month and will see him again tonight, and he is definitely impressive and someone who would fit in well with the Wildcats. Houston has been the favorite for a while now, but he does seem to be genuinely open to all the schools on his list. UCLA hosted for an official visit this winter plus he has UNLV and Gonzaga on his list as well.

The Wildcats have been involved as along as anyone, and he feels great about the relationship he has built with Tommy Lloyd's staff.

"I love the coaching staff. I've built a really great relationship with them. They've been recruiting me since I think eighth, ninth grade. So, I've been able to build a really great relationship with them.
"Their playing style is a really fun play style to play in, and they've built a winning culture over there over the past couple years."

Login to view embedded media

Tovani Mizell. If he were to make it out for a visit, it would likely be during the season

Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura has settled in a sexual assault that involved him and Wisconsin starting safety Kamoi Latu back on October 27, 2018 after the ILH championship game.

According to Hawaii News Now, the settlement has been reached with the now 20-year-old woman.


Here's more details from the story:

Arizona has yet to comment on the lawsuit case involving de Laura.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Paki Finau is one of Arizona's top priorities in the 2024 class, and tonight he has trimmed his list to seven schools including the Wildcats. Washington, UCLA, ASU, Utah, Penn State and Auburn also made the list. He's already lined up several official visits in June, and that process will begin with his third trip to Tucson. UW, Utah and Penn State are all schedule to get official visits from him as well that month.

He's fresh off a visit to Seattle over the weekend and Huskies currently sit as the favorite to land him in my opinion, but Arizona has certainly positioned itself well and will be right in the thick of the race until the end. He has built a really strong connection with Brennan Carroll, and the UA staff has made it clear to him that he is a top priority.

Check out my latest article on running back Jonah Coleman's progression heading into year two.

Coming into Arizona as a three-star recruit, linebacker Mathew Weerts had hopes of one day starting on the Wildcats' defense. However, a coaching change and an upgrade in talent put Weerts deep into the depth chart and he couldn't get on the field.

Now, Weerts has told me that he has l entered the portal looking for a new home. With him in the portal, Arizona now has another scholarship available.

Arizona has kept tabs on the transfer portal and two names have come up when talking about the Wildcats. First is North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson, who averaged 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocks during last season. The other is Campbell transfer Jay Pal, who averaged 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks during his only season with the Tigers.

Pal didn't play with Cedric Henderson Jr., he transferred to Campbell after Henderson left.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Arizona is turning up the heat with transfer players right now and two important ones are currently visiting with the Wildcats. Oregon transfer two-way athlete Jalil Tucker is in town as is former Michigan defensive end and Colorado transfer Taylor Upshaw. Upshaw transferred to CU in the winter and went through spring ball but is one of the players to leave the Buffs in recent weeks. He'd be an immediate help and give the Wildcats another key piece up front.

Tucker is ranked as the No. 85 transfer by Rivals and is a four-star player while Upshaw is rated as a 3-star transfer and No. 617 overall in the portal.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
The No. 54-ranked transfer is headed to Arizona. Alabama guard Jaden Bradley has signed with the Wildcats after a strong freshman season that ended with him being named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Arizona pursued Bradley as a high four-star recruit in the 2022 class and missed but gets his commitment now and the Wildcats have finally hit big in the transfer portal this offseason.