Arizona's Motiejus Krivas earns preseason AP All-America honors

The Wildcats' standout center joins an exclusive five-player list as expectations continue to rise for Tommy Lloyd's team

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (14). | Photo courtesy of Arizona Wildcats Athletics, Marison Bilagody

Expectations are high for Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats in 2026-27, coming off the program's first Final Four run in 25 years.

Arizona is already in the national championship conversation, even with only two players from last year's rotation back in the mix.

It helps that both those players, Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, are widely considered among the best in the entire sport. Both were named to the preseason All Big 12 team, while Krivas is now officially a preseason AP All-American - as announced on Wednesday.

🚨AP Preseason All-American Team🚨

Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
David Mirkovic, Illiois
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

Others receiving votes (in order):
Flory Bidunga, Louisville
Braylon Mullins, UConn
John Blackwell, Duke
Robert…

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) October 21, 2026

Accolades keep coming for Krivas

Krivas was one of five players selected to the team, alongside Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears, Florida forward Thomas Haugh, Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner, and Illinois forward David Mirkovic.

19 other players received votes, including Kharchenkov and three other Big 12 players: BYU guard Rob Wright, Kansas freshman forward Tyran Stokes, and Texas Tech big man JT Toppin.

Feb 7, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) defends during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Krivas becomes the second preseason AP All-American under coach Lloyd, joining Caleb Love who made the list ahead of the 2024-25 season. While Love did not end up earning All-America honors that year, he was coming off Third Team All-American honors in 2023-24.

Krivas is hoping to become the fourth AP All-American coached by Lloyd at Arizona, alongside Love, Azuolas Tubelis (2nd team in 2023) and Bennedict Mathurin (2nd team in 2022).

Expected production for the big man

Krivas had a breakout junior season in Tucson, averaging 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 25.4 minutes last year. His 73 blocked shots ranked No. 17 in the country, and Arizona held opponents to a ridiculously low 36.7% field goal rate while he was on the floor, the best in the nation.

Now, with Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, and Jaden Bradley out the door, Krivas has a path to an even bigger role offensively down on the block - and that played out in the team's first two exhibition games against San Francisco and San Diego State, respectively.

The Lithuanian big man dropped 20 points with six rebounds on 6-7 shooting in 25 minutes against the Dons, and followed that up with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks against the Aztecs. He shot a combined 19-24 from the free throw line as well, showcasing improvement in a key area heading into his senior year.

Feb 24, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots as Baylor Bears center Caden Powell (44) defends during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kharchenkov is set to take on a bigger role offensively in Tucson, while newcomers Caleb Holt, Derek Dixon, and JJ Mandaquit will need touches as well. However, Krivas is clearly the go-to option for the Wildcats, and his efficiency around the rim and two-way capability make him an easy choice as a potential All-American in 2026-27.

Next up for Arizona is an exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 PM MST against Eastern Washington. The game will be at the McKale Center, and broadcast on ESPN+.