Arizona has mass transfer exodus with 3 more players entering portal

Calling transfer portal Tuesday with three more Arizona players entering the transfer portal.
Scenes from the second half of the women's basketball game between Vanderbilt and Arizona at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Vanderbilt won.
Scenes from the second half of the women's basketball game between Vanderbilt and Arizona at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Vanderbilt won. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Starters Breya Cunningham and Skylar Jones and key reserve Katarina Knezevic began the mass exodus of Arizona players into the transfer portal following point guard Jada Williams on Monday. Tuesday is the first official day for women to enter the transfer portal after the NCAA Tournament second round concluded on Monday.

Cunningham was second on Arizona behind Williams, averaging 11.0 points per game and led the Wildcats, averaging 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and shooting 56.0 percent from the floor and with a 56.0 EFG percentage. Cunningham and Williams are close friends who played together in high school at La Jolla Country Day.

Jones was third on Arizona, averaging 10.7 PPG and posted 3.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, led the Wildcats with 52 steals and shot 49.2 percent from the field, 35.1 percent on three-point attempts and had an EFG percentage of 53.1. Jones significantly improved her production across the board as a sophomore in 2024-25.

Knezevic contributed beyond her numbers of 2.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.7 APG and shot 36.2 percent from the field and made 13 of her 26 three-point attempts. Knezevic is a freshman from Belgrade, Serbia, with three years of eligibility remaining. Cunningham is a sophomore and will have two seasons of eilgibility remaining.

Head coach Adia Barnes stated about the opening of the transfer portal on Tuesday, "Today is gong to be insane! Welcome to the new era of women’s basketball!! This should be fun! lol." More players could potentially enter the transfer portal from Arizona.

Currently, Arizona has a corps of Montaya Dew, who was injured at the end of the season, Paulina Paris, Sahnya Jah who was suspended and returned at the end of the year, freshman Lauryn Swann who averaged 8.0 PPG and 2.1 RPG while leading the Wildcats with 50 three-pointers made and Malien Rolff and Jodryn Ross.

Barnes faces another off-season with a mass exodus of players into the transfer portal. Arizona has regressed each season since losing in the 2021 NCAA Tournament Championship Game. The Wildcats signed forwards 6'0 Jasmine Gipson from Duncanville, Texas and 5'11 Roxy White in the 2025 class.