The FBI investigation could shape the Arizona Basketball programs future for the better!
When someone pictures an FBI investigation, most of the time it is hard to think that it could end in a positive outcome. Over the past few months, being an Arizona Basketball fan has been very challenging, to say the least.
During this time, fans have seen the University release one of its top assistant coaches, an ESPN report that Sean Miller paid DeAndre Ayton to come play for UA, the loss of two top recruits heading into next year and most recently the early exit from March Madness. With an early end to the season, it gave UA fans a lot of time to reflect on the season and also look forward to what the future might hold.
Arizona Wildcats Basketball
When looking ahead to next season, many experts do not have high expectations for the Wildcats. As for the Arizona Wildcat program, going against the grain and recruiting three to four-year players may give them the lift they need to reach the final four.
Yes, you may think it is crazy, but here is why it will be beneficial in the long run. Over the past few years, UA fans have gotten used to getting top 25 recruits and having these players stay for one maybe two years then leaving for the NBA Draft. With the current FBI investigation, it has suddenly become very difficult to lure a top 25 recruit to come play for UA basketball nowadays. This can be seen in the loss of Shareef O’Neal (UCLA) along with Brandon Williams.
Note: Williams is currently exploring his options. He is visiting ASU this weekend and Oregon at some point. Just yesterday Coach Few, Gonzaga University Head Coach, visited Williams in his home. Williams went on IG and said Arizona was still in the mix.
This trend might be concerning to most UA fans because it is a natural instinct to make the connection of having a great recruiting class to having a better chance of making the Final Four and ultimately bringing the trophy back home to Tucson. But having a bunch of 4/5 star players won’t necessarily get you to a championship. Take a look at the recent trends of teams that have been making it to the Final Four over the past few years.
I just heard that @NovaMBB hasn’t had a Top 20 Recruiting Class in the last 5yrs. However, they have won TWO National Titles 🏆🏆!
— Ken Spangenberg (@KenSpang) April 5, 2018
Focus on your game...not the rankings. Don’t buy into the fake hype. #intangibles
To make it easy, let’s take a look at this year’s Final Four and the teams that made it to San Antonio, TX. We had Michigan vs Loyola Chicago and on the other side, we had your eventual Champions in Villanova vs Kansas. There is no doubt that each of these teams with the exception of Loyola Chicago has players who will either get drafted into the NBA or have a chance to play pro-basketball somewhere else such as the G-League or Europe.
It is only natural for us as fans to concentrate on those players whose careers or futures are the brightest. When this happens, it is easy to overlook the common thread that each of these teams has. That common thread is that they all have a group of guys that have been with the program for 3-4 years.
How does this relate back to UA and the current FBI investigation you ask? Well simply put, since Sean Miller and his staff will have a hard time getting those one-and-done players. They will have to turn their attention to recruits who fly under the national radar and use their time in college (3-4 years) in order to develop their skills before making the jump to the NBA.
Essentially the FBI investigation is forcing Sean Miller and his staff to use the same key concepts that got each and every one of this year’s Final Four teams to San Antonio, TX.
Must Read: More Arizona Basketball News On ZonaZealots
So Wildcat fans, even though the media might portray doom and gloom for this program moving forward, a team full of Nick Johnson’s and TJ Mcconnell’s would not be as bad as you think. It also might be the right combination needed to get Sean Miller to his first Final Four.