Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd had plenty to say Friday about the Wildcats’ latest wave of NBA movement, and the message around his former players was pretty clear: the league is giving Arizona guys real chances.
Brayden Burries was the headline name, going 10th overall to the Milwaukee Bucks. Lloyd called that selection “an accomplishment” and noted Burries had been in the mix for several teams in that range. He also pointed out that there was “a certain guy that has a lot of interest in Arizona basketball that was picking kind of right after the Bucks,” and said that team was strongly interested in Burries, too.
Lloyd sees the Bucks landing as a strong fit for a young player trying to break through. He described Milwaukee as a stable program that has gone through major change after moving “one of the best players in the NBA,” which makes the spot feel like a fresh start. For Burries, Lloyd said, that could mean a real shot at minutes right away.
"I'm not aware of anything that's been promised, a role or anything like that, but Brayden is a guy that we think is ready to play in the NBA, and he ended up in a situation where they have a need. It's a great opportunity for a rookie to go in there from Day 1, get real reps and live bullets, and kind of learn from their own mistakes."
Koa Peat’s path was different, but Lloyd was just as upbeat about it. Peat went with the final pick of the first round and was traded to the Phoenix Suns, and Lloyd said Arizona was “thankful to the Suns for choosing him in the first round.” He added that Peat’s value was “a lot higher than the number he actually got picked at,” even if the draft broke the way it did.
Lloyd said the Suns had been working on trades for Peat well before the 30th pick, and he believes the situation suits him. In Lloyd’s view, Phoenix is rebuilding quickly and wants to do it with “tough, hard working blue collar kind of guys.”
That, he said, lines up with Peat’s game. He also emphasized the appeal of Peat staying in Arizona and playing in front of his family.
Jaden Bradley’s name came off the board in the second round, with Toronto taking him as the Raptors were the only team not to trade its pick in that round. Lloyd said Bradley had drawn a lot of interest and called him “a ready-to-play guy” who “impacts winning.” He said Toronto was high on Bradley and that the guard has a chance to build a role there over time.
Lloyd also took time to trace Bradley’s road to this point. He called it a long journey for a player who was a McDonald’s All-American, transferred, arrived at Arizona and handled different roles along the way. In Lloyd’s view, the payoff belongs to Bradley’s persistence.
Tobe Awaka didn’t hear his name called, but Lloyd still thought the Bulls were the likely destination. He said he had spoken with Chicago’s general manager earlier in the day and believed there was a real chance Awaka would go at 38 before that pick was traded. Even without being drafted, Lloyd said Awaka ended up in a spot where he was “at the top of their board in the second round.”
"He's had a long journey. You've got a guy who was McDonald's All-American, had to transfer, came here, played some varying roles, but he stuck with it every step of the way. All of the success that JB has had and is going to have in the future is a tribute to him, his perseverance and his work ethic."
For Anthony Dell’Orso, the road is still open. Lloyd said the Sacramento Kings will give him a chance this summer, and he made clear how much Dell’Orso meant to Arizona along the way. Lloyd said Dell’Orso “single-handedly won probably three or four games for us this year,” and described him as the kind of player who can swing high-level games.
Lloyd laid out the next steps for Dell’Orso as the pro game unfolds: summer league chances, then maybe the G League, overseas, a two-way deal or eventually a roster spot. He acknowledged the challenge, but he also left no doubt about his belief in Dell’Orso’s makeup.
"I know this: Delly is somebody I would never bet against. This guy is incredibly motivated.
He's incredibly tough, and he's incredibly talented. So I'm going to be rooting for him every step of the way."
In Other News...
New NCAA Rule Could Reshape Arizonas 2026 Development Plan
A new NCAA eligibility change is set to ripple through roster building across college football, and Arizona already sounds prepared to use it as a developmental tool. The Division I cabinet approved a 5 for 5 policy that will let student-athletes play five seasons over five years, removing the old redshirt framework, and Wildcats coach Brent Brennan welcomed the move as something that can help teams like his grow players more naturally.
For Arizona, the timing matters because the rule will take effect in the 2026-27 academic year and could shape how the Wildcats manage their youngest talent and their upperclassmen on the 2026 roster. It also creates a longer runway for some players who would otherwise be nearing the end of their eligibility, leaving Brennan and his staff with a different set of decisions to make when they map out who plays, who waits and how the program balances immediate help with long-term development. [Read more 🡒]