Charles Barkley isn’t one to hold back, and during a recent episode of Inside the NBA on ESPN, he made it crystal clear where he stands on this year’s college hoops landscape. “It’s the Arizona Invitational,” Barkley said, referring to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with him right now.
Arizona is sitting atop the college basketball world, and not just in one poll. They’re the unanimous No. 1 team in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
That’s not just media hype either - advanced metrics back it up. The Wildcats are also leading the pack in KenPom efficiency ratings and the NCAA’s own NET rankings.
That kind of across-the-board dominance makes them the projected No. 1 overall seed in ESPN’s Bracketology.
The Wildcats have just one game left before February 7, and then the real test begins. Starting February 9, they’ll enter a brutal four-game stretch against ranked opponents, kicking things off on the road at Kansas.
It’s the kind of stretch that can either validate their top billing or expose cracks in the armor. But right now, Arizona looks every bit like a team built for March.
Barkley, who’s lived in Scottsdale since being traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992, has long had a soft spot for the Wildcats. He’s picked them to go deep in the NCAA Tournament multiple times over the years - in 2015, 2017, and 2022 - though those runs didn’t end the way Arizona fans had hoped.
In 2015, Arizona entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed but ran into a buzzsaw in top-seeded Wisconsin. Two years later, as another No. 2 seed, they were stunned by 11th-seeded Xavier in the West Regional Semifinal.
Then in 2022, Arizona was a No. 1 seed again but fell short in the South Regional Semifinal against a tough Houston squad. Each time, Barkley had them going far.
Each time, the tournament had other plans.
Still, Barkley’s belief in Arizona hasn’t wavered. And this season, he’s not just predicting a deep run - he’s practically naming the tournament after them.
“I’ve been watching games very closely,” Barkley said. “It’s starting to get serious...
I’ve been watching more college basketball, and as I call March Madness, it’s the Arizona Invitational. Just for the record, it’s going to be the Arizona Invitational.”
That’s a bold claim, even for Barkley. But with Arizona’s current form, it doesn’t feel out of place.
The Wildcats' dominance this season comes amid a backdrop of change for the program. Barkley has previously commented on the controversy surrounding former star Deandre Ayton and the fallout from reported recruiting violations. He’s also called Arizona’s move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 “sad and unfortunate,” reflecting the broader shifts in the college sports landscape.
But right now, the focus is on the court. Selection Sunday is set for March 15, and once the bracket is revealed, Barkley will be right there alongside Ernie Johnson Jr., Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, breaking it all down as part of Inside the NBA’s tournament coverage. Their analysis begins with the opening round on March 19, and if Arizona lives up to the hype, Barkley might just get the “Arizona Invitational” he’s already calling it.
For now, the Wildcats are the team to beat - and Barkley’s not the only one taking notice.