Gonzaga's Tommy Lloyd Leads Arizona to Final Four After Spurning UNC

Lloyd's decades-long tenure at Gonzaga prepared him for success at Arizona, despite opportunities elsewhere.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 10:50am

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As Arizona prepares to play in the Final Four, head coach Tommy Lloyd's journey has been intertwined with Gonzaga basketball for over 30 years. After serving as a longtime assistant under Mark Few, Lloyd turned down an offer from basketball powerhouse North Carolina to remain at Arizona, where he has quickly built the program into a national contender.

Why it matters

Lloyd's decision to stay at Arizona rather than take the job at North Carolina is a testament to the strength of the Gonzaga basketball program and the trust and autonomy that head coach Mark Few has given his assistants over the years. This move further cements Gonzaga's status as one of the premier mid-major programs in the country, able to develop coaching talent that can succeed at the highest levels of college basketball.

The details

Tommy Lloyd spent 22 years as an assistant coach at Gonzaga under Mark Few, helping to build the program into a national power. During his time there, Lloyd was instrumental in recruiting international players like Ronny Turiaf, Domantas Sabonis, and Rui Hachimura who became stars for the Bulldogs. When the Arizona job opened up, Lloyd was able to leverage his Gonzaga experience to land the position, turning down an offer from the storied North Carolina program to remain in Tucson.

  • Thirty-one years ago, Gonzaga made its first NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
  • On Saturday at 2 p.m., Gonzaga head coach Mark Few will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
  • On Saturday at 8 p.m., Tommy Lloyd's Arizona team will play in the national semifinal game.

The players

Tommy Lloyd

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, who spent 22 years as an assistant coach at Gonzaga under Mark Few before taking the Arizona job in 2021.

Mark Few

The head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who has led the program to 27 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and four 1-seed finishes.

Dan Monson

The former head coach of Gonzaga, who hired Tommy Lloyd as a graduate assistant in 1999 before leaving for the University of Minnesota.

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What they’re saying

“You know, I remember when Roy Williams went to Kansas and everyone said, 'Well, of course. He worked at Carolina.' Well, Tommy deserved the Arizona job because of the work he did at Gonzaga. This is such a total Gonzaga thing, man. It's the whole village.”

— Mark Few, Head Coach, Gonzaga Bulldogs

“Those were the only jobs a Gonzaga coach could get. Rebuild jobs. Hard jobs. Tommy stepped into a gold mine.”

— Dan Monson, Former Head Coach, Gonzaga Bulldogs

What’s next

On Saturday, Mark Few will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential coaches in Gonzaga's history. Later that evening, Tommy Lloyd will lead his Arizona Wildcats into the national semifinal game, looking to capture the program's first national title since 1997.

The takeaway

Tommy Lloyd's decision to remain at Arizona rather than take the job at North Carolina underscores the strength and influence of the Gonzaga basketball program. Under Mark Few's leadership, the Bulldogs have developed a pipeline of coaching talent that can succeed at the highest levels, with Lloyd's rise to prominence serving as the latest example of Gonzaga's ability to produce elite college basketball coaches.