With Jaden Bradley completing his eligibility and Brayden Burries a projected lottery pick, point guard is the most glaring need for Arizona through the Transfer Portal. Four of the five starters seem to be locks for Arizona in 2026-27 if everyone with eligibility returns.
Center Motiejus Krivas and forwards Dwayne Aristode and Ivan Kharchenkov project as starters for Arizona if they return in 2026-27. Kharchenkov and Krivas are potential late first-round to early second-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft if they elect to enter.
Aristode is projected to have a bigger role if he returns to Arizona. Aristode could also elect to enter the Transfer Portal if he wants to gauge interest from other programs. Name, image and likeness deals and the potential for a guaranteed bigger role elsewhere could entire Aristode to transfer.
Five-star shooting guard Caleb Holt, the second-highest ranked commit/signee in Arizona history, is the fourth projected starter for the Wildcats in 2026-27. Holt was named the co-Most Valuable Player of the McDonald's All-American Game that was played in Glendale on Tuesday.
There is a significant amount of talent in the transfer portal, but the player who stands out the most to me...
— Ross Spitzer (@RossSpitzerCBB) March 26, 2026
Dedan Thomas Jr.
Thomas saw limited action this year due to injury, but he consistently impressed when on the floor. The 6-1 guard, originally from Las Vegas,…
Potential Arizona PG transfer targets
The top two transfer point guards are players familiar to Arizona fans. Isaiah Johnson, formerly of Colorado, is the top-ranked point guard in the 2026 portal. Johnson scored 28 points on seven out of 14 from the floor, four of six on three-point attempts and 10 out of 11 from the free throw line in a 89-79 loss to Arizona in March.
Former Oregon PG Jackson Shelstad played against Arizona three times as opponents in the Pac-12 and in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Shelstad improved in each of his four games against Arizona, averaging 17.0 PPG, 2.75 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
There are multiple other outstanding transfer point guards for Arizona to pursue through the portal. Dedan Thomas of LSU was one of the top transfer PGs in 2025 from UNLV and Jaland Lowe from Kentucky and Pittsburgh before that, will be another two players to watch.
Building chemistry with a new roster is difficult. Arizona had stability and leadership entering 2025-26 with Bradley, guard Anthony Dell'Orso and forward Tobe Awaka returning from the 2024-25 team. Krivas was back from a redshirt season in 2024-25 to add more stability.
Arizona has to find a transfer PG in 2026-27. Point guard is the most important position in basketball, a player who has to be a leader. Finding the right fit through the portal at PG is critical for Arizona and Lloyd to continue their success at the top of college basketball in 2026-27.