As we say good-bye to Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who recently declared for the NBA draft, we “might” say welcome back to Arizona Wildcats Center Kaleb Tarczewski!
Multiple reports have surfaces in the last two days declaring that Kaleb Tarczewski will remain a student at the University of Arizona and not forgo his senior year. That’s music to most Wildcats fans ears. Most feel he still has more potential than last season showed and one more year will help him in his endeavour is to play eventually in the NBA.
There is also a last-minute report from Bruce Pascoe (Tucson.com) that he had a conversation with a former NBA coach (Collins) who has been Tarczewski’s travel-ball coach and mentor who is close to Kaleb and told Bruce that Zews hasn’t made up his mind yet.
More buzz that Kaleb Tarczewski is staying with #arizonawildcats but longtime mentor says he hasn't decided yet: http://t.co/lOJ7uYF05P
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) April 9, 2015
Here are some of the reports that he indeed had made up his mind to stay for his senior year:
Multiple unconfirmed reports have Kaleb Tarczewski returning for his senior season. More as it develops and on @kgun9 at 5 @WinningProducer
— KGUNSports (@KGUNSports) April 9, 2015
Expect Kaleb Tarczewski to officially announce he is coming back possibly as soon as today.
— stunna (@stunnaIo) April 9, 2015
Apparently according to Jordan Shultz, Kaleb had actually changed his mind to stay!
Hearing Arizona 7-foot junior C Kaleb Tarczewski changed mind and is now heavily leaning toward returning for senior season. #BearDown
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 8, 2015
Well folks we will just have to hear it from Kaleb himself, and I should have stopped myself from writing this peice because I always wait, but this time I decided to be on top of it, of course. So let’s suppose he comes back for his senior year…
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There are those fans that think that he is “soft” or just isn’t strong enough under the basket. I totally disagree. I think Kaleb has all the skills he needs, I think its more of a personal maturity thing with him. The Pac-12 referees during the season and the NCAA referees at Staples Center during the tournament didn’t do him any favors as well, totally disrupted his game and the Wildcats game plans.
How was it that Matt Stainbrook or Frank Kaminsky, showing similar defensive moves don’t get called in the beginning of the game for ticky tack fouls? How many offensive fouls get called on Zews compared to other players? Almost every time it happens, I am just as confused and mystified as he is. Then he gets put on the bench and has to watch and soak in the injustice.
Feb 19, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) shoots over Southern California Trojans guard Julian Jacobs (12) during the second half at McKale Center. Arizona won 57-87. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
I am not proposing that Kaleb never fouls, that’s preposterous! But when he backs up to the basket, and the defender falls back because he is to close to him and flops, that should not be an offensive foul!
Remember in the Elite Eight game with Frank Kaminsky? Wildcat fans called him Frank “The Flop” Kaminsky after that, and refs called an offensive foul on Zews, unbelievable.
It was also reported, and Kaleb confirmed both that he had seen a therapist and that he had taken up fishing to relax. Kaleb also doesn’t take to Twitter or social media that we can tell. So maybe he just needs to learn how to deal with the pressure? Seems reasonable to me, I don’t know how any of the players deal with all that pressure.
There were a number of sports broadcasters suggesting that he stay another year. They suggested this for a lot of the reasons I have just laid out. One would assume this message was coming out of the NBA as well.
In addition, Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson just declared for the NBA Draft, so there is more room on the roster now and maybe Coach Miller has one less commit he will need to bring in as well. Kaleb might have to also compete for the starting job, if so, this will be good practice for him when he enters the NBA.
Never-the-less, if he comes back, I am glad because my daughter is happy she gets to brush elbows with him in and around the Eller buildings, and I think coming out of college with a degree and more maturity can only help in life and in the NBA as well.
BEARDOWN ZEWS! Glad your staying!
Next: The Arizona Wildcats basketball team had a great season, Relive it in photographs!