Arizona considering redshirting freshman center Emmanuel Stephen

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd discussed the possibility of 7'0 freshman center Emmanuel Stephen redshirting during the 2024-25 season. Sophomore Motiejus Krivas, Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka and redshirt sophomore Henri Veesaar are all ahead of Stephen on the depth chart in the post.

Stephen played 12 minutes in the first exhibition game versus Eastern New Mexico, missing all three of his shots from the floor, with one rebound, one assist, two blocks, two turnovers and three fouls. Stephen showed improvement in the second exhibition game versus Point Loma on Monday.

In 10 minutes versus Point Loma, Stephen scored four points on 2-3 from the floor, had two offensive rebounds, seven rebounds total, one foul and one turnover. Stephen was the 91st prospect nationally, the 16th center and the sixth player in Arizona out of Glendale Dream City Christian in the 2025 class.

Adam Finkelstein, the Director of Scouting for 247Sports praised Stephen's defensive abilities, but said he needs to "develop both his hands and his fundamental skills, but he is capable of putting pressure on the rim as both a lob-threat and rim-runner in transition."

"We're going to have those conversations in the next couple of days...Like anything's here ...the player is going to have input. You know it's...not going to be me sitting him down and telling him okay this is what you're doing. You know we're going to have input...and give him some information and give him some opinion and...then we'll let him make the choice."

- Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd

It will benefit Arizona and Stephen for him to redshirt. With a strong 2024-25 season, Krivas could leave for the 2025 NBA Draft. A departure by Krivas would open playing time at center on the 2025-26 roster. Even if Krivas returns in 2025-26, Stephen would have a year of development to compete for playing time.

Players cannot appear in a basketball game to maintain a redshirt season unless it is for medical reasons. With the season opener versus Canisius on Monday, Lloyd and his staff need to meet with Stephen in the next couple of days about any decision to redshirt during the 2024-25 season.