Arizona guard KJ Lewis jumped into the NBA Draft pool Tuesday while keeping open the possibility of a return, meaning three-quarters of the Wildcats’ playing rotation from last season is gone — at least for now.
Lewis joined senior Caleb Love in testing the NBA Draft, while senior wing Pelle Larsson is in the draft for good and forward Keshad Johnson ran out of eligibility. Both Larsson and Johnson are projected second-round picks.
In addition, two starters have transferred from Arizona: center Oumar Ballo to Indiana and point guard Kylan Boswell to Illinois.
While Lewis appears likely to return, only guard Jaden Bradley and center Motiejus Krivas among UA’s eight-player rotation have not announced plans to look elsewhere — and both are now expected to start for the Wildcats next season. Players have until Friday to declare for early entry into the NBA Draft, and non-graduates have until May 1 to enter the transfer portal (graduates can enter at any time).
Lewis averaged only 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds off the bench last season, but gained attention as an NBA Draft prospect because of the physicality and athleticism he displayed on both sides of the court. At 6-4 and 205 pounds, Lewis also has what Sports Illustrated’s Draft Digest calls an NBA-ready frame.
“What’s interesting about Lewis is just how much he’s able to do to impact winning,” Draft Digest wrote in December. “While he’s best suited as an off-ball guard or undersized wing, he also has passing upside. …. He doesn’t have elite feel or possess true point guard awareness, but is a good complimentary passer.”
Neither Lewis nor Love are listed in the major mock drafts as of now. Under an NCAA rule, both players have until 10 days after the NBA Combine (May 29) to withdraw if they want to return to college basketball.
Lewis said his decision was “part of the next steps to grow and develop my game.” Entering the draft will allow Lewis to work out privately for NBA teams and, if he is invited, to either the May 10-12 G League Elite Camp or the May 12-19 NBA Combine.
Invitations to the Combine are typically a sign a player is under consideration for an NBA draft pick or a two-way contract between the NBA and G League that pays over $500,000.
“I want to thank all of my coaches and teammates, y’all truly have helped me grow into the player I am today,” Lewis posted. “I would especially like to thank the University of Arizona coaching staff for believing in me and guiding through this year and process.”
In addition to the losses from its regular playing rotation, Arizona also lost three reserve players to the transfer portal: forward Paulius Murauskas (Saint Mary’s), wing Filip Borovicanin (undecided) and center Dylan Anderson (undecided). However, the Wildcats are expected to return reserve guard Conrad Martinez and forward Henri Veesaar.
Tennessee transfer visits UA
Arizona’s efforts to replace Johnson at power forward now include targeting Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka.
PHNX’s Mike Luke reported on a podcast that he saw UA associate head coach Jack Murphy and Awaka at Culinary Dropout on Saturday. The Wildcats also hosted Oakland (Mich.) transfer forward Trey Townsend earlier this month.
Awaka averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench last season but shot 59.1% and was an especially effective rebounder. He had an eye-opening offensive rebounding percentage of 17.9 and a defensive rebounding percentage of 20.0, collecting a fifth of opponents’ missed shots when he was on the floor.
Rebounding machine Tobe Awaka, right, grabbed one-fifth of opponents’ missed shots this past season. Now in the transfer portal, he visited UA recently.
Upon announcing he was entering the transfer portal on April 9, Awaka thanked Tennessee players and coaches while saying his decision was “extremely difficult to make.”
“The past two years have been some of the most influential of my life,” Awaka posted. “The relationships I’ve gained and the experiences I’ve had will be forever life-changing.”
Awaka has not ruled out returning to Tennessee. Though the Volunteers have been pursuing a stretch-four in the transfer portal, coach Rick Barnes indicated he would welcome Awaka back.
“Obviously, we all respect him and love him for what he did for us,” Barnes said, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. “But if he feels he’s got to go through the process, he needs to do it. With that said, we’re not waiting, because we’re going to move forward and build this roster as quickly as we can.”
Awaka has experience in McKale Center, collecting four points and two rebounds during a seven-minute appearance in the Wildcats’ 75-70 win over Tennessee on Dec. 17, 2022.
Kriisa pays visit
Meanwhile, the Wildcats welcomed a more familiar face for what appeared to be a social visit.
Before being spotted at McKale Center on Tuesday, former UA guard Kerr Kriisa posted an Instagram story with a photo taken from the left lane of Eastbound I-10 approaching Picacho Peak, playing it with lyrics from the Chainsmokers’ song “Closer.”
Former Arizona guard Kerr Kriisa played for West Virginia last season. He was at McKale Center on Tuesday.
The lyrics Kriisa posted said, “I forget just why I left you, I was insane, stay and play that Blink-182 song that we beat to death in Tucson, OK.”
Kriisa, who transferred to West Virginia last spring but has since again entered the portal, remains undecided on his next stop.
Sanon, Bryant in ESPN Top 25
Arizona commit Joson Sanon wound up ranked No. 22 in ESPN’s final Top 100 for the class of 2024, just three spots below incoming UA forward Carter Bryant, though he technically remains in the class of 2025 as of now.
Sanon remains likely to reclassify in order to play college basketball next season, according to his NIL agent, but said on X (Twitter) on Tuesday that he remains “committed to the University of Arizona in the class of 2025.”
Bruce Pascoe is a veteran Arizona Daily Star sports reporter covering University of Arizona basketball. He has traveled with the team all the way to Israel and has been reporting at the Star since the late 90’s. Bruce worked at the Las Vegas Review-Journal prior to the Star and he graduated from Northwestern University. David and Bruce talk about the highlights of covering basketball and sports in a college town, the difficulties of the beat, Bruce’s love for sports and where that came from and how his reporting impacts the community.
Bruce Pascoe is a veteran Arizona Daily Star sports reporter covering University of Arizona basketball. He has traveled with the team all the way to Israel and has been reporting at the Star since the late 90’s. Bruce worked at the Las Vegas Review-Journal prior to the Star and he graduated from Northwestern University. David and Bruce talk about the highlights of covering basketball and sports in a college town, the difficulties of the beat, Bruce’s love for sports and where that came from and how his reporting impacts the community.
Bruce Pascoe is a veteran Arizona Daily Star sports reporter covering University of Arizona basketball. He has traveled with the team all the way to Israel and has been reporting at the Star since the late 90’s. Bruce worked at the Las Vegas Review-Journal prior to the Star and he graduated from Northwestern University. David and Bruce talk about the highlights of covering basketball and sports in a college town, the difficulties of the beat, Bruce’s love for sports and where that came from and how his reporting impacts the community.
