Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd is taking his revamped roster on an unprecedented journey to Lithuania, a move designed less to rack up wins than to embed a new culture within the team.
The 2026‑27 squad returns only six players from last season and welcomes ten newcomers, among them international freshmen and transfers, creating a blend of experience and fresh energy that Lloyd hopes will translate into chemistry on the court.
During the visit the Wildcats will square off against Lithuania’s ‘B’ side, the senior national team of Ukraine, and the country’s top professional club, using those contests as a litmus test for a schedule that promises tough, high‑level European competition.
Cultural Immersion and Local Guidance
Local figures such as Domantas Sabonis, the NBA star who once played under Lloyd at Gonzaga, will host the Wildcats in Palanga, while Ugnius Jarusevicius, a Nebraska transfer, and Maksim Brnovic will lead tours of basketball‑rich towns like Siauliai and Palanga, immersing the visitors in a nation where the sport is treated like a second religion.
Motiejus Krivas, a former Lithuanian player, points out that games involving the national team can feel like national holidays, underscoring the intensity of the environment the Wildcats will encounter.
Lithuania’s national team currently sits at No. 10 in the FIBA rankings, and the competition level is described as elite, with teams battling at the highest echelon of European basketball.
After returning home on August 23, the Wildcats will showcase the new‑look squad at the Red‑Blue Showcase on September 26, a preview that will give fans a first look at the cohesion forged abroad.