Arizona's Tommy Lloyd Praises Selfless Players for Final Four Run

Coach credits team chemistry and roster flexibility for school-record 36-win season.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:59am

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A cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic motion of a college basketball game, with Arizona's players rendered in sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of bright red and blue colors.Arizona's selfless team chemistry and flexible roster construction have propelled the Wildcats to the Final Four.Indianapolis Today

Arizona men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd has praised the selflessness and maturity of his players in helping the team reach its fifth Final Four appearance. Despite a challenging roster construction process involving the transfer portal, NIL deals, and incoming freshmen, Lloyd says his staff was able to identify the right mix of size, guard play, and wing talent to build a physical, versatile team capable of surviving the rigors of the Big 12 conference.

Why it matters

Arizona's remarkable 36-2 season, capped by a Final Four berth, showcases the importance of team chemistry and roster flexibility in college basketball. Lloyd's ability to get veteran players like Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso to accept new roles for the betterment of the team highlights the coach's skill in managing personalities and egos.

The details

Lloyd said the key was ensuring 'everybody to feel like they belong authentically' on the roster. This included moving Awaka to a sixth-man role to boost the confidence of starting center Mo Krivas, and transitioning Dell'Orso from a starter to a reserve 'sniper' to make room for McDonald's All-American Brayden Burries. Despite the changes, Lloyd praised Awaka and Dell'Orso for their maturity in accepting the new roles.

  • In mid-January, Lloyd discussed the challenges of roster construction.
  • A couple months ago, Lloyd praised his team's chemistry and success.

The players

Tommy Lloyd

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team, who led the program to a school-record 36-win season and a Final Four appearance.

Tobe Awaka

A veteran starter and rebounding specialist for Arizona who volunteered to come off the bench, becoming the team's best sixth man.

Anthony Dell'Orso

A longtime starter for Arizona who accepted a reserve role as the team's designated 'sniper' off the bench.

Brayden Burries

A McDonald's All-American freshman who provided scoring punch off the bench for the Wildcats.

Jaden Bradley

The Big 12 Player of the Year and a key starter for Arizona.

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What they’re saying

“When you build a team, you want everybody to feel like they belong authentically. You want to work on that but our staff did a great job of identifying a good mix of size, have great guard play and we were able to get some big wings.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona Wildcats

“He's such a mature guy and a good player. He's never not started.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona Wildcats

“In full honesty, he would have liked to start. I told him my vision. We needed a sniper off the bench. I think having someone to fulfill that role is going to be really important.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona Wildcats

What’s next

Arizona will face the winner of the other Final Four matchup in the national championship game on April 7th.

The takeaway

Lloyd's ability to manage egos and get veteran players to embrace new roles for the good of the team has been a key factor in Arizona's remarkable season. The Wildcats' selfless, team-first approach has them one win away from a national title.