Six Arizona players have exceeded their recruiting ranking to reach the NBA. Carter Bryant, Christian Koloko, Pelle Larsson, Bennedict Mathurin and Dalen Terry were all selected higher in the NBA Draft than their recruiting rankings projected. Keshad Johnson made the NBA after going undrafted.
Koloko, Mathurin and Terry were key players under Lloyd in his first season at Arizona and as a head coach, as the Wildcats finished 33-4 and won the Pac-12 regular season and tournament championships. Mathurin and Terry were first-round picks and Koloko went early in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Mathurin was the highest pick under Lloyd, as he was selected sixth overall by the Indiana Pacers. A relative unknown out of the NBA Latin Academy in Mexico City, Mathurin was the 136th player in the 2020 class. Mathurin averaged 14.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in two seasons with Arizona,.
In 2022, Mathurin was a consensus second-team All-American, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, first-team All-Pac-12 and the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. The 2021-22 breakout season for Mathurin led to all the honors and becoming a lottery pick.
Player | Recruiting ranking | Where Drafted |
|---|---|---|
Bennedict Mathurin | 136-2020 | 6-2022 |
Dalen Terry | 52-2020 | 18-2022 |
Christian Koloko | 185-2019 | 33-2022 |
Pelle Larsson | 203-2020 | 44-2024 |
Keshad Johnson | 300-2019 | UD-2024 |
Carter Bryant | 24-2024 | 6-2025 |
In 209 career NBA games with 85 starts, Mathurin averages 15.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 1.8 APG. With Tyrese Haliburton lost for at least most of the 2025-26 season and Myles Turner signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Mathurin will be one of the most important Pacers in 2025-26.
Terry was the 52nd-ranked player in the 2020 class and the 18th pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2022 NBA Draft. In two college seasons with Arizona, Terry averaged 6.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.0 steal. Terry averages 3.5 PPG, 1.6 RPG and 1.2 APG, averaging 11.1 minutes in 170 games during his three-year NBA career.
Koloko was the 185th prospect in the 2019 class and the 33rd player chosen in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. Koloko improved each season he was at Arizona and peaked with a breakout campaign of 12.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.4 APG and 2.8 BPG in 2021-22 in his only year playing for Lloyd.
Koloko earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and first-team All-Pac-12 as a junior in 2021-22 before declaring for the NBA Draft. Playing 12.0 MPG after missing the 2023-24 season with a blood clot, Koloko has averaged 2.9 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 95 games with Toronto and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tommy Lloyd on the "ongoing development" of Christian Koloko this season: pic.twitter.com/XCYl00sRUe
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) March 20, 2022
Larsson averaged 9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.8 APG during his college career that began with one season at Utah before transferring to Arizona for his final three years. In 2023-24, Larsson was All-Pac 12 second team. Larsson was the 203rd prospect in the 2020 class before being selected 44th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
After making the Miami Heat roster as a second-round pick, Larsson averaged 4.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG and 1.2 APG playing in 55 games. Larsson fits the culture of the Heat as a versatile player who does everything well. Larsson finished his rookie season with nine games scoring in double figures.
After being the 300th prospect in 2019, Johnson had his most productive college season under Lloyd, averaging 11.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 1.8 PPG after transferring to Arizona following four seasons for San Diego State. Johnson was a starter as San Diego State advanced to the 2023 NCAA Championship game.
Playing 16 games with the Heat on a two-way contract, Johnson averaged 2.7 PPG and 1.8 RPG in 6.1 MPG. Johnson and Larsson will both play on the Miami Summer League team that begins play on July 10 in Las Vegas. Expect Lloyd to continue developing Arizona players beyond their projections.