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Arizona Wildcats Basketball: Kaleb Tarczewski Made a Smart Decision

By Shereen Rayan

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This year’s Arizona Wildcats basketball team looks different from last year; they are excited about a new beginning, but for senior Kaleb Tarczewski, it will be the ending of his college career.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball Coach Sean Miller has four seniors on his team this year. Two of them, Gabe York, and Kaleb Tarczewski have been with Miller for a total of five years.

Arizona is expected to repeat and finish first in the division receiving 18 votes from the Pac-12 media members who voted. Tarczewski will be a huge part of that success along with everyone else on the team. Miller chose to bring his seven-foot center to Pac-12 Media Days, showing that Miller believes he is poised to become the leader of his 2015/2016 team.

Jason Scheer, Publisher and senior editor of Wildcat Authority, brought us a video clip of Sean Millers opening remarks in his article about Pac-12 Media day. Miller wanted to make sure we all knew how he feels about his senior center.

"I just want to focus on Kaleb for a second, because I have answered so many questions about him returning for his senior year. And I almost feel like we all, including Kaleb, are made to feel like you have to apologize for showing up a fourth time. When uh, that’s really sad."

What’s wrong with people? Why would you ask about Kaleb coming back for his senior year? During the NBA draft, the same reporters were probably talking about why he shouldn’t enter the draft.  Pre-draft rankings did not include Kaleb in the top 30 projected picks. On top of that, he was accepted into the Eller school of business which is wholly impressive and isn’t an easy feat, ask any pre-Eller business major student. Miller continued explaining why he wasn’t so happy with the ‘four-year’ line of questioning.

"In Kalebs case, I think most of you know, he is an elite student, he’s in the Eller School of Business. He’ll be one of the few student athletes that has an opportunity to graduate from that type of undergraduate program. And on the court, for him to be part of the Team USA this summer, win a medal, and then have an opportunity to be the all-time winningest player in the history of the school, Gabe and him. Is one heck of a thing."

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It is quite rare for players to stay in college all four years and not cut out early to make millions, or not, in the NBA. After all, which team beat the Wildcats in the Elite Eight? Right, Wisconsin. Wisconsin with their senior, Frank Kaminsky and their Junior Sam Dekker.

If Dekker had entered the NBA draft the season prior, Arizona might have gone on to the Final Four last year. Think about it. It didn’t work for the Kentucky Wildcats to have all of those one-and-done freshmen, they didn’t win the NCAA championship although they had a hell of a run. It worked for Wisconsin and Frank, why couldn’t it work for Kaleb and Arizona? Sean Miller makes his last point, which is pretty spot on if you ask us.

"It wasn’t to long ago, when that type of a player would have been just bombarded with positive questions. What I feel like sometimes you have to field these questions that I shake my head at."

Kaleb made the right decision. He needed to find himself. He needed to find his power, find his confidence, learn how not to travel, learn how not to get caught for silly fouls even though he didn’t commit, and just plain mature as a man. It takes time for most young players who leave college after one or two years to enter the NBA draft to reach their potential and some never do, then what?

RELATED STORY –> What’s Next for the Big Man Kaleb Tarczewski at Arizona “if” He Stays?

Case in point, Aaron Gordon, his career is just taking off if his summer league play is any indication. He struggled in his first year, and he suffered an injury as well. If Gordon’s NBA preseason play is any indication, it looks like his second year in the league will be fantastic.

How about Derrick Williams? He seems to have found a home in New York with the Knicks. Finally, there are some NBA coaches (Derek Fisher, James Worthy and Phil Jackson) who believe in him, and he is showing NBA fans the D-Will we all knew at Arizona in the pre-season. He was on fire the other night, double dunks, no look passes, jumpers, he was impressive.

So Kaleb Tarczewski made the right decision for him, and many wish more players would stay all four years. Imagine the Wildcats winning multiple championships. How is that ever going to happen again with all the early departures? It’s not.

Catch head coach Sean Miller’s entire statement in the video below care of Wildcat Authority.

Next: Arizona Wildcats Basketball: Voted No. 1 by Pac-12 Media Poll

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