After his team’s defeat to Duke in the Sweet 16 last March, Tommy Lloyd participated in the standard postgame press conference with Jaden Bradley, Caleb Love, and Henri Veesaar. Only one of these players will return for Arizona; the others have either begun their professional careers or transferred.
The Wildcats will have just four scholarship players returning from last year’s 24-13 lineup, with Love leaving for the pros and Veesaar among four players set to join other colleges next season. In their absence, Arizona has welcomed seven newcomers, highlighted by the largest freshman class during Lloyd’s tenure.
Lloyd and his coaching staff have shaped this roster as the NIL market expanded in spring, with many players securing seven-figure contracts prior to the new NCAA/House settlement approved last week. Additionally, he is preparing for another challenging nonconference schedule, hiring a new assistant, and getting ready to coach Team USA’s U19 squad in the FIBA World Cup, leaving little downtime since the end of the 2024-25 season.
“College basketball involves many moving parts during the offseason,” Lloyd stated in his first public remarks since the Sweet 16 exit. “This creates an eventful few months, but you navigate through it, aiming to set your next team up for success. From April through June, you’re fully engaged, and by then you hope to have a clearer picture for your plans moving forward.”
Lloyd has reached 112 victories in his four seasons, guiding Arizona to the NCAA Tournament every year, with three Sweet 16 appearances. The Wildcats finished fourth in their inaugural Big 12 Conference season and reached the conference tournament finals, where they lost to eventual NCAA finalist Houston.
The 2025-26 roster
Returning next season are seniors Tobe Awaka, Jaden Bradley, and Anthony Dell’Orso, along with junior Motiejus Krivas, who together accounted for 37.3% of minutes played and 35.1% of scoring last season. The quartet committed to return swiftly after the 2024-25 season concluded, although Bradley entered the NBA Draft process again.
“These players expressed a strong desire to return,” Lloyd commented. “We discussed it, and having three or four solid returners forms a great foundation for our roster. We’ve managed to achieve this retention over the past four seasons, adding necessary new pieces along the way.”
