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As Arizona Basketball approaches its Pac-12 schedule it’s important to look back at the players that made this such a special start to a new era.
Benn Mathurin – A +. Like his coach, if it was possible to give Mathurin a higher grade than an A plus, we would.
Simply put, Mathurin has been everything for Arizona and the crunch time scorer it so desperately needs.
He has played himself into a ton 10 NBA draft pick and a player who will be in contention for first team all- American status.
Azoulas Tubelis – B. Tubelis has had big games and there’s been times, like at the end of the Wichita State game, where he was clearly Lloyd’s preferred go-to-player but there’s also been a few too many games like the Tennessee performance where he appeared slightly out of his element.
Tubelis has been good but he has the potential to be great.
Kerr Kriisa – B. Kriisa has already become a lightening rod for opponents and UA fans.
Kriisa’s shooting percentages have been less than ideal and there’s been some times where he’s appeared physically overworked but there is no doubt he embraces the big moment and the big shot, sometimes to his own detriment but possessing the big shot mentality is something one is born with. Kriisa was born with it and that can’t be minimized.
Christian Koloko – B+. Koloko has certainly surpassed even the most optimistic of fan offseason expectations and has played himself into being a very legitimate NBA prospect.
Against better teams though, like Tennessee and Illinois, the game has appeared too fast at times and the previous hand issues have come to the forefront.
Fortunately for Arizona fans, this might mean another year of Koloko.
Dalen Terry- B. Terry has been what was expected, which isn’t a bad thing. A defensive menace who can rebound and facilitate some.
Offensively, he is a long ways away but he shows the potential to get better in that department.
His offense will be needed at some point. That point isn’t this season, however.
Oumar Ballo – A +. One of the absolute surprises of the entire team. Many expected Ballo to be a big body, low-on-skill type.
In limited time Ballo has shown the capacity to be a productive starter and interior enforcer on a top 25 team going forward.
Justin Kier – C. The Georgia transfer has been thrust into a jack-of-all-trades type roll as a secondary ball handler/defender and scorer at times. He’s had his moments but there’s also been too many games where he’s been burned off the dribble and has made questionable decisions.
Nonetheless, he still has the look of a player who will be a valuable contributor.
Pelle Larsson – D-. Larsson has easily been the biggest disappointment on the entire roster. Granted, he is coming off a foot injury so that has to be factored in but we can only grade what we’ve seen on the court and that is a player who all too often has been a turnover magnet while also being a shooting liability.
Kim Aiken – N/A. A season that started off so promising has been minimized by a lack of availability.
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