
Big 12 Basketball Offseason Moves: Arizona Leads the Pack
The Big 12’s expansion reshapes the conference, Arizona posts a dominant season, and the Wildcats' offseason earns a B grade.
Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning JJ Mandaquit across Basketball.

The Big 12’s expansion reshapes the conference, Arizona posts a dominant season, and the Wildcats' offseason earns a B grade.

A wave of assistant coach departures and player transfers at the University of Washington sets the stage for a global recruiting push ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Three assistants have exited Danny Sprinkle’s staff, a new assistant arrives from Marquette, and key players are transferring, prompting the program to target overseas talent to meet the 15‑player limit.

The 2026‑27 Big 12 season promises a reshaped landscape, with title contenders emerging amid a wave of player movement.

UCLA will kick off the 2026‑27 men’s basketball season in Las Vegas against Arizona, a team fresh off a Final Four run, in a game that could define the Bruins’ campaign under coach Mick Cronin.

The University of Washington men’s basketball program is reshaping after key departures, with a mix of new talent and unanswered questions as the new season approaches.

The University of Arkansas will face Arizona in a multi-year series beginning December 19, 2026, at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, part of the Naismith Hall of Fame Series.

Arkansas will open a multi-year series against Arizona, beginning with a game at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Dec. 19, 2026, as part of the Naismith Hall of Fame Series.

A three‑year series between the University of Arkansas and the University of Arizona will begin Dec. 19, 2026, in Phoenix, featuring new rosters, returning stars and a potential fourth game in 2029‑30.

With the NBA draft deadline passed, the 2026‑27 men’s college basketball season is taking shape. Here’s a look at the teams that cracked the top ten, the key players to watch and the storylines that could define the year.

Sports Illustrated’s preseason Top 25 reveals Florida at No. 1, but a wave of transfers and roster changes promises a volatile year across the nation’s elite programs.

A preview of the 2026‑27 season shows Florida at the top, with Duke, Michigan and a host of other programs making notable moves

A wave of high‑profile players have pulled out of the NBA Draft, prompting major programs to adjust their line‑ups and recruit new talent.

With the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline passed, a wave of elite talent has chosen to stay in college, reshaping the preseason rankings and setting the stage for a competitive 2026‑27 campaign.
Milan Momcilovic, a highly ranked transfer player, has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and is weighing offers from Kentucky, Louisville, and Arizona as he decides his next collegiate destination.

A dozen projected first‑round picks have withdrawn from the NBA draft, choosing instead to return to college and reshape the competitive landscape for next year's NCAA campaigns.

A look at the high‑profile college athletes who have chosen to return to school or enter the 2026 NBA Draft, and how their moves will affect their programs' outlooks.

Nearly a dozen high‑profile prospects have pulled out of the NBA draft, choosing to return to college and altering the roster landscape for dozens of programs across the country.

Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 transfer portal prospect, has decided to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft, choosing instead to complete his senior year and reshape the upcoming college basketball landscape.

Evan Willis, a 6‑foot‑7 forward from Crossroads, California, has received a scholarship offer from Washington. Ranked No. 7 in the 2028 class, his defensive skill set and athleticism have drawn attention from multiple programs.

Koa Peat has exactly seven days to lock in his plans for the upcoming basketball season, a deadline that has turned the Arizona sophomore’s future into a focal point of offseason chatter. The Wildcats’ coaching staff has already drafted a 13‑player lineup that assumes Peat will opt for the professional route, a move that reshapes the team’s identity heading into the 2026‑27 campaign. Among the returning pieces, forward Ivan Kharchenkov and center Motiejus Krivas are slated to reclaim starting roles, bringing a blend of veteran presence and untapped upside to the paint. New additions promise fresh energy: transfers Derek Dixon, JJ Mandaquit, Evan Otte and Ugnius Jarusevicius join the mix, while top high‑school recruit Caleb Holt and fellow prospect Cameron Holmes arrive from the prep ranks. With only 27.5% of last season’s minutes returning, the roster must lean on emerging leaders to shoulder increased responsibility, a challenge that could define the team’s chemistry. The Wildcats will test their revamped squad on an ambitious overseas swing, beginning with a series of games in Lithuania that will serve as both a tactical experiment and a bonding experience. Back on U.S. soil, the nonconference slate features marquee matchups against UCLA, Connecticut, Auburn and St. John’s, each opponent offering a distinct style that will probe Arizona’s adaptability. As the countdown ticks down, the decisions made in the coming week will reverberate through the program, influencing not only Peat’s trajectory but also the broader narrative of a team poised to rewrite its identity.

Koa Peat's upcoming choice will shape Arizona's roster, nonconference schedule and ambitions for the 2026-27 campaign.

St. John's has risen to No. 16 in the 2026‑27 CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 rankings after securing a commitment from four‑star forward Theo Edema, while Coach Rick Pitino looks to bolster the roster with two additional transfers.

Arizona adds depth and shot‑blocking ability as former Big Sky Freshman of the Year Evan Otten joins the program, alongside returning standout Motiejus Krivas and other transfers.