Arizona Wildcats Star Freshman Lands With Intriguing Rebuilding Team in Mock Draft
The Arizona Wildcats are a team that many people are going to be keeping an eye on throughout the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season.
They are projected to be one of the best teams in the country, entering the campaign as the No. 10 ranked team in the AP Top 25. Tommy Lloyd has done a wonderful job with the program in his first three seasons at the helm and has a championship-caliber roster.
He and his staff did a wonderful job restocking the roster with several key players from last season departing, whether it was graduation, transfer, or entering the next phase of their basketball career and heading to the professional ranks.
High-upside transfers in Tobe Awaka from the Tennessee Volunteers, Trey Townsend from the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and Anthony Dell’Orso from the Campbell Fighting Camels helped replenish the team.
Lloyd also landed some very good recruits, headlined by Carter Bryant. A four-star recruit, he was ranked in the top 20 of his class and selected Arizona over offers from the Duke Blue Devils and Louisville Cardinals.
He has remarkable upside, and his role with the team should grow as the season moves along. For now, he is playing on the second unit off the bench.
Through two games, he is averaging nine points and 2.5 rebounds. Those numbers don’t jump off the scoresheet, but it is easy to see the potential that he possesses.
NBA scouts are already keeping an eye on him, as he could be a one-and-done player for the Wildcats. Right now, most mock drafts have him on the fringe of being a lottery pick.
In a recent one done by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN, the talented forward lands with the Brooklyn Nets as the No. 15 overall pick. It is a selection that comes via the Milwaukee Bucks, but if it lands in the top four, it will convey to the New Orleans Pelicans.
“In the midst of a full rebuild, Brooklyn will be drafting with a long-term eye, which would make a player such as Bryant an interesting option. He has an excellent physical profile at forward and has flashed interesting versatility already, stepping into 3s with visible confidence, contributing defensively and showcasing his physical tools.
He has a huge opportunity in Arizona's Nov. 22 game against Duke, and could work his way into being a lottery pick with a solid freshman season.”
The Wildcats will have ample opportunities for Bryant to showcase his talent as they will be playing big games throughout the campaign. Their non-conference schedule includes matchups with the Wisconsin Badgers, the Blue Devils and UCLA Bruins, with a potential game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs as well.
