{"id":194050,"date":"2026-05-04T21:21:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T01:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=194050"},"modified":"2026-05-04T21:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T01:21:15","slug":"arizona-hosting-shot-blocking-big","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/04\/arizona-hosting-shot-blocking-big\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona Hosting Shot-Blocking Big Man, What Other Programs Are Interested?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd<\/a> has gotten off to a slow start to his 2026-27 recruiting class. But things could be picking up.<\/p>\n

Lloyd is off to a record-setting start to his coaching career. The 51-year-old coach has posted an NCAA-record 148 wins over these five years, winning three Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament titles. He is 10-5 in the NCAA Tournament<\/a>, reaching the Sweet 16 four times, and has been named national coach of the year twice.<\/p>\n

Arizona Hosting Shot-Blocking Big Man while Juke Harris Makes Two Decisions and Oklahoma Lands Center<\/h2>\n

Arizona went 36-3 this past season, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2000-21. But the Wildcats have lost four of their top eight players from this past season, with the total potentially increasing to six if projected NBA first-round picks<\/a>,\u00a0 Koa Peat<\/a> and Brayden Burries<\/a>, remain in the draft.<\/p>\n

Peat is considered<\/a> the most likely of the two to return to Arizona, per Jeremy Woo of ESPN<\/a>. However, it is not known whether the 19-year-old is considering a possible return.<\/p>\n

“Peat opted to declare for the draft and has an opportunity to play his way up the boards with a strong predraft process,” Woo recently wrote. “Some teams viewed him as an excellent candidate to return to school and improve his stock, an option that remains available to him. Scouts view his perimeter shooting as a critical swing skill that will impact his career path, as he is not particularly effective scoring outside 15 feet at this stage of his career.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Those losses have left the Wildcats with nine scholarship players for the 2026-27 season. Therefore, the Wilcats still project to add two to four players, depending on the ultimate status of Peat and Burries.\u00a0 College players have until May 24 to withdraw from the 2026 NBA draft.<\/p>\n

On the plus side, 7-2 center Motiejus Krivas<\/a> decided to return for his senior season in Tucson. But redshirt freshman Mabil Mawut<\/a> is the only other big man currently on the Wildcats roster. Which is why getting FAU big man Devin Williams<\/a> on campus is a big deal. The Wildcats missed out on Arizona State transfer Santiago Trouet<\/a>, who chose Ole Miss on May 1.<\/p>\n

Who is Devin Williams, and Who Else Is Recruiting The big Man?<\/h3>\n

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Williams is in Tucson today for an official visit with the Wildcats, per Joe Tipton of On3<\/a>. The 6-10 sophomore had a breakout campaign at FAU this past season, emerging as one of the top shot blockers in the country.<\/p>\n

Williams, ranked the consensus No. 72 high school prospect in 2023, started his collegiate career at UCLA, though he just played 10 games over two seasons. Williams finished his first season with 7.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and the fifth-most blocks in the nation with 2.6 a game. He also produced nine double-figure scoring games and one double-double while shooting 51.0% from the field and 30.6% from the 3-point line.<\/p>\n

If Arizona can sign Williams, he projects to come off the bench at least at the start of the season. Williams, who can play either the 4 or 5, has his calling card in his athleticism and rim-protecting ability. The 22-year-old is a vertical threat who thrives in pick-n-rolls, though he is not an elite finisher at the rim. He has shown flashes as a shooter but needs to add strength to his 210-pound frame.<\/p>\n

According to Doug Sisk of 247Sports<\/a>, Williams has recently heard from North Carolina. Virginia Tech and Oklahoma are also reportedly in the mix,x along with several other high-majors<\/a>.<\/p>\n