UA’s recent performance indicates NBA talent a plus
Read a complete analysis of Arizona’s recruiting classes since Fred Snowden was hired at Arizona in 1972 by visiting TucsonCitizen.com
Jerryd Bayless has emerged as the only NBA-skilled player in the classes of 2007 and 2008 for Arizona, which signed nine players in that stretch
By Javier Morales
The spring signing period starts Wednesday, opening another chapter in the UA’s recruiting effort to become one of the elite programs again.
Recent reports suggest the odds are against Arizona coach Sean Miller and his staff landing Baltimore Lake County point guard Josh Selby, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill combo guard Doron Lamb and Detroit Country Day School point guard Ray McCallum Jr.
The Wildcats, however, stand a good chance of signing Manhattan (N.Y.) Rice power forward Kadeem Jack, who said he will announce his choice between UA, Arkansas, Miami and UConn on April 28.
Miller already has Phoenix North shooting guard Daniel Bejarano in the fold (he signed a national letter of intent last November). Los Angeles Westchester point guard Jordin Mayes and Logan (Ill.) Junior College forward Jesse Perry are expected to sign Wednesday after offering verbal commitments.
A worthy question to ask: Will any of these players become capable of playing at the next level?
The two recruiting classes before Miller’s arrival last April included only one NBA player — Jerryd Bayless in the Class of 2007 who left after only one season — and a fair number of players struggling to find their niche (Jamelle Horne, Brendon Lavender and Alex Jacobson). Four of the nine players signed in 2008 and 2009 have also transferred (Laval Lucas-Perry, Jeff Withey, Zane Johnson and Garland Judkins).
Kyle Fogg, signed in 2008, has started most of his freshman and sophomore seasons. He is the best to emerge in these classes other than Bayless, but he is not considered NBA material at this point.
The sudden retirement of Lute Olson after he missed a year with a leave of absence has a lot to do with the recruiting shortfalls that ultimately kept Arizona out of its first NCAA tournament this season for the first time since 1984.
The 2003-2005 recruiting stretch was also uncommonly difficult for Arizona. Those years did not produce an NBA player of note. The only one two of the 10 signed in this stretch to advance to the next level were Marcus Williams (Class of 2005) and Mustafa Shakur (Class of 2003).
Williams played in only 13 NBA games over two seasons and is currently playing in China. Shakur, after stints in Poland, Spain and Greece, finally hit his stride this season but has yet to play for Oklahoma City despite signing a contract for the remainder of the season.
It is no wonder why in the last five years, Arizona’s overall record is 96-68 (a 58.5 winning percentage) and the Cats have not been ranked in the AP Top 10 since Jan. 8, 2007. Lute Olson’s overall winning percentage at Arizona was 75.9 percent (589-187 in 24 years), which is 17.4 points higher than what the UA has experienced since 2005.
Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill, part of the UA’s Class of 2006 with Nic Wise, were drafted last year, increasing Arizona’s number of active NBA players to 10.
However, Hill and Budinger left after their junior seasons, which added to Miller’s rebuilding project this season. Hill was a late bloomer at Arizona and Budinger never reached his full potential as a Wildcat, mostly because he struggled with the fact that he did not have the opportunity to play for Olson after his freshman season.
Miller stresses attracting players who are team oriented, but history suggests some NBA talent is needed as well for the UA to become prominent once again.
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Former UA player Andre Iguodala had his better games this season against LeBron James
