Bear Down Wildcats

Thought I'd make a fun post as we anticipate the Xavier game.

If you could bring back one former Arizona player to join the team for the rest of the tournament and take us to a National Championship who would it be?

So many choices but I'd have to go with TJ. Or maybe Mike Bibby, but he already has one....

I'd go a different direction.

Rondae

Add his defensive abilities to this team and even the best offensive teams would struggle to score.

PJC
Kadeem
Rawle
Ronde
Lauri

That would be a fucking dangerous 5

TJ for sure. Could use a ballhandler.

Rondae or Frye, who I think would kill alongside Lauri, and would be a better low-post defender than anything current, but who could pass, stretch the floor, and block shots.

TJ is without a doubt better than PJC but they have a similar skillset. Rondae did somethings that no one on this team can do. And like JMJ mentioned I think he would pair really well with Lauri at the 5

Sean Elliott. Just give us the crown because the games wouldn't even be close

azcat49 wrote:Sean Elliott. Just give us the crown because the games wouldn't even be close

It would be fun.

Miles Simon. MOP.

I assume we get the collegiate version. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Bibby was our best all-around true pg, and that's one thing we lack at a high level. We have wing and post talent, but not that top line pg.

I've posted about Damon being close to Bibby or better, but I think this team has enough firepower that it doesn't need Damon's shooting, which was his best asset.

Jason Terry would not suck on this team

From the Miller era, def AG or Rondae

We're missing a great PG, a long athletic wing (should have been Ray Smith), a lockdown defender, and a rim protector.

So I guess any one of Bibby, Sean, AG/RHJ or Loren Woods would all help big time.

UAEebs86 wrote:We're missing a great PG, a long athletic wing (should have been Ray Smith), a lockdown defender, and a rim protector.

So I guess any one of Bibby, Sean, AG/RHJ or Loren Woods would all help big time.

AG checks all of those boxes except great PG. The upside of being an Arizona fan is you have a lot of really extraordinary players to choose from.

As much as we'd love a great PG, I think that the marginal improvement of a Rondae would be much bigger. The two things that have caused us trouble defensively are good low post scorers and that super athletic PF/SF type (like Brooks). We are getting much better at rotating bodies against post scorers (and Lauri has greatly improved), and that leaves a need for Rondae. Let's look at it this way: if we play Duke, who will we struggle with? Tatum. Give us Rondae and we have no problem with them.

Joe McLean

Vintage not injured Gilbert (and not bought off refs) were all we were missing for NC #2 so I'll take that.

Bibby. Think his point play and on ball defense (underrated) would shore up both our issues against zone and stopping dribble penetration from the hand off

Bibby or TJ. the biggest "hole" on this team is an elite PG. We have plenty of weapons, so give me a guy that can defend at a high level (both) and facilitate and distribute (both).

Something to keep in mind for those saying Rondae and Gordon. This team has great spacing and a lot of room for Lauri, Kadeem, Rawle and Trier to put the ball on the floor and attack. Just remember back to what teams did to us w those guys on the perimeter. They sagged off and it plugged the paint. Yes, we have a bit more shooting w this team that would mitigate it but remember that we are likely losing one of those shooters on the floor. Unless Miller moved Lauri to 5 and Rondae/Gordon to the 4, but that may not be ideal. Gordon and Rondae would have to take a much bigger role inside because of Lauri's range and they would really have to commit to it and then u run the risk of beating up, wearing out Lauri when hes guarding 5s, plus foul trouble.

Mike Bibby -- if he played on this years AZ team the wildcats might be undefeated

If Mike Bibby played on this team he would have torn an acl or some shit

Brian Williams, Ben Davis or Bibby. Oh man its nice to dream.

because all the other choices I'd make have already been mentioned, I'll go with Steve Kerr.

KReal

Surprised there hasnt been a Derrick Williams mention to be honest. He may be my non-pg pick

rgdeuce wrote:Surprised there hasnt been a Derrick Williams mention to be honest. He may be my non-pg pick

Actually playing the 3.

Loren Woods. We could use a shot blocker and zone buster.

Naw im thinking D Will, Lauri, Trier, Alkins, Kadeem. Think about it, at the 4 and 5 you have guys who can beat you inside, make half their threes, and put the ball on the floor. You can pick and roll and pick and pop w both. Five guys on the floor who can get to the rim/play at the rim or beat you outside. He would be a huge guy to throw in the middle of a zone. Both get to the foul line and make them. Only a couple of teams that could hang w that and we are wearing those guys out. D will was a great rebounder in college and would get even more offensive boards. He could protect the rim when needed and I dont remember him struggling w too many 4s/5s. Hes would be a HUGE upgrade over Dusan.

Easily Derrick Williams . Followed by Gil and Rondae

Bibby. Not even close. This team has all the parts other than a great true point guard.

Eric Money...

... would guarantee a NC

I will say, the most realistic option I can think of is a healthy Ray Smith or a focused Kobi Simmons, although if I could time travel, Bibby is my pick.

1. Bibby
2. The Jet
3. TJ

I'm bringing back a healthy Ray Smith. I want to see how this team would do with all of its players healthy.