Arizona wound up on the positive side of the CBS Sports article "Winners and losers of the early NBA Draft deadline: Duke, Florida retain key starters; UNC loses critical star" posted on Monday by Cameron Salerno. The critical UNC star referred to in the headline is former Arizona forward Henri Veesaar.
Like Arizona freshman guard Brayden Burries and forward Koa Peat, Veesaar chose to enter the 2026 NBA Draft. Conversely, Arizona returns Veesaar's former Wildcat teammate, center Motiejus Krivas, as well as freshman forward Ivan Kharchenkov.
Kharchenkov and Krivas set the foundation around a rebuilt Arizona perimeter. Five-star 2026 signee Caleb Holt should be Arizona's leading scorer at shooting guard, replacing Burries. Point guards Derek Dixon and J.J. Mandaquit join Arizona in 2026-27 as transfers.
Freshman wing Cameron Holmes could start if Arizona doesn't sign a power forward. Kharchenkov would have to move to PF if Holmes has to start. Kharchenkov and Krivas project to have much bigger roles for Arizona in 2026-27, particularly on offense.
"Winner: Arizona retains talentCameron Saleno, CBS Sports
The Wildcats have a roster that's shaping up to be a Final Four contender...While I wrote...it would be wise for Koa Peat to return to school for another season, he elected to enter the draft alongside freshman classmate Brayden Burries...Despite losing that star power, Arizona is bringing back big man Motiejus Krivas and forward Ivan Kharchenkov. Krivas took a huge leap this past season and could raise his stock even more by returning to Arizona. As for Kharchenkov, he was the ultimate Swiss Army Knife and one of the more underrated players in the country. He was Arizona's connector who made everything work."
Looking ahead
Arizona will likely go as far as Holt, Kharchenkov and Krivas take them in 2026-27. Holt shined at the postseason high school all-star games, earning co-Most Valuable Player at the McDonald's All-American Game and the sole top performance at the Nike Hoops Summit.
The focus from Salerno was clearly on Kharchenkov and Krivas returning. Kharchenkov and Krivas will have more responsibility on and off the court in 2026-27. The completed eligibility of forward Tobe Awaka and guards Jaden Bradley and Anthony Dell'Orso leaves a leadership void for Arizona.
Kharchenkov and Krivas project to be team leaders for Arizona and Tommy Lloyd in 2026-27 as the only returnees from the 2025-26 rotation. The experience Kharchenkov and Krivas gained in 2025-26 on the 36-3 Big XII regular season and tournament champions and West Regional titlist, should help Arizona in 2026-27.
Neither Motiejus Krivas nor Ivan Kharchenkov appeared on the NBA's official early draft entry list that was released this afternoon, so they won't also test the draft as Jaden Bradley did last spring.
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) April 27, 2026
Redshirt freshmen, guard Bryce James and forward Mabil Mawut, are the only other players returning to the 2026-27 Arizona roster with Kharchenkov and Krivas. Lloyd is likely not finished adding to the 2026-27 Arizona roster. Arizona likely needs a starting PF and has to add depth in the frontcourt.
The returns of Kharchenkov and Krivas are significant for Arizona and have set the foundation for the 2026-27 roster. In order to reach the potential as a Final Four contender, as stated by Salerno, Arizona has to add a starting PF and more importantly, depth in the frontcourt.
It remains to be seen how much Mawut has developed and if he is ready to contribute in 2026-27. The 2026-27 Arizona roster projects as a top 10 team. The remainder of the 2026 offseason will determine if Arizona can move into the preseason top five.
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