Claudia Collins
By Jack McCarthy
It’s that time of year again in the college basketball world where you’re left wondering how we
got to this point. The transfer portal is rampant with over 1,000 entrants, and a few of them could
help sustain Arizona’s success. While Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov announced their
return to the squad next season, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat are headed to the NBA Draft,
making the transfer portal key to ensuring stability in those positions.
Departing
Sidi Gueye
The 6-foot-11 freshman played a limited role in a deep frontcourt. He found the court in 26 of
Arizona’s 39 games, but averaged just 3.4 minutes and 1.3 points per game. Gueye was seen as a
raw prospect, but still one that has potential to grow into a contributor. A four-star recruit coming
out of Senegal, Gueye has already committed to play at Santa Clara next season, a team coming
off an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Sven Djopmo
The sophomore Frenchman played a reserve role, averaging 0.5 points in his 19 appearances.
Look for him to find a spot where he can carve out a bigger role.
Dwayne Aristode
The biggest name of the bunch to enter the portal was freshman Dwayne Aristode. While in the
latter part of Arizona’s tight eight-man rotation, Aristode showed a lot of promise in his first
season. A top-30 recruit out of high school, Aristode logged 3.8 points per game, shooting 49%
from the field and 46% from three. He remains one of the top-rated undecided transfers on the
market.
Incoming
Derek Dixon
Sitting just outside the top 50 in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, Dixon brings a lot to the
table. Namely, he brings youth. In his freshman season at UNC, he carved out a starting role late
in the year after Kyan Evans faltered down the stretch. He averaged 6.5 points, shooting over
39% from beyond the arc. The three-point line is where the majority of his game lies, and he can
rip it. In the Tar Heels’ last four games of the season, all pivotal games, he shot 15-of-25 from
three, finding his form in the latter end of the season. Dixon should fit in at the two-guard,
adding a three-point shooting role to a team that didn’t have a clear go-to shooter last season.
Derek Dixon’s stats off the bench (first 17 games):
– 16.3 MIN/G
– 4.6 PTS/G
– 2.0 AST/G
– 35.9% FG%
– 37.8% 3FG (2.6 3PA/G)Stats as a starter (final 16 games):
– 28.7 MIN/G
– 8.5 PTS/G
– 3.5 AST/G
– 36.8 FG%
– 40.7% 3FG (5.1 3PA/G)What will Tommy Lloyd turn him into? 📈 pic.twitter.com/QJtBjl42ih
— Damon (@DamonDawg) April 14, 2026
JJ Mandaquit
Tommy Lloyd must be looking for young guards, because he found another one in Washington
freshman JJ Mandaquit. A top-75 recruit coming out of high school, Mandaquit found himself in
a backup role with the Huskies. A 15-point outing in a loss against Michigan was his best
performance. A foot injury in late January left him out for the rest of the season. He will likely
fill the backup point guard role, something the Wildcats also lacked last season. Mandaquit is a
true point guard who can score and find his teammates.
