Wildcats’ Offense Runs Through Rising Star Brayden Burries
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Arizona will open up the regular season on Monday against the defending champion Florida Gators. The game will happen in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series and should serve as a true test of the youth movement in Tucson.
Tommy Lloyd brought in the No. 2 recruiting class with big expectations. He will be leaning on several freshmen to fill the roles of Carter Bryant, Caleb Love, Henri Veesaar, and KJ Lewis, who all departed from the program in the offseason.
The class is highlighted by forward Koa Peat, who has gotten most of the recognition for good reason. Lloyd had extra time with the beat while coaching the Team USA U19 National Team during the summer. He's big and athletic, and could be one of the top scorers for the Wildcats this season.
Peat is expected to start, as he did in the first exhibition game against Saint Mary's. If he starts, or if any of the other Arizona freshmen start, it would be just the sixth time Lloyd has started a first-year player with the Wildcats.
The guy who is seemingly overlooked right now is guard Brayden Burries, who will also likely start and share the back court with veterans Jaden Bradley and Anthony Dell'Orso.
Burries looked excellent in both exhibition contests. In 40 minutes combined across both games, he scored 23 points and shot 10-of-16 from the field with just one turnover.
Five-star Arizona freshman Brayden Burries led all scorers with 22 points in tonight's Red-Blue Showcase 👀 @MarchMadnessMBB pic.twitter.com/jMNqM2OD7t
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) October 4, 2025
Bradley will likely run the point and be solid offensively, but Burries is a true bucket-getter. He possess the ability to create his own shots and knock down big jumpers from range.
- “He’s a dynamic offensive player,” Lloyd said on Friday.
- “I see him as a guy that, when the ball is in his hands, he’s going to make the right decision for the team, whatever that may be. The right decision could be scoring in any one of those three levels, or making a play for someone else. He’s somebody that I’m sure over the course of year is going to grow in that role. We’re very comfortable when the ball is in his hands.”
The ball will be in his hands against Florida, where his shot-making ability will be important for Arizona to stretch the floor against a group of seasoned defenders with the Gators.
Facing Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee in the back court, Lloyd might lean on Burries' handling the ball more to avoid turnovers, given how aggressive the Florida guards are.
Burries is a natural winner and doesn't back down in big games. He led Roosevelt High School to the CIF Open Division California State Championship last year and scored 44 points to seal the championship.
He was also recently named to the Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List, which honors the top shooting guard in college basketball annually.
Dell'Orso and Burries are Arizona's best options from beyond the arc, even though Bradley can get hot from there at times. Burries can be a bit streaky, but the Wildcats have to be prepared for a slump at some point with all the freshmen they will play. For now, Arizona's newest guard seems poised for a fast start against the Gators.
Let us know what you think of Burries and Arizona as a new season of college basketball gets underway. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.
Logan Brown is an alumnus of the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He currently works as a General College Sports Reporter On SI. Logan has an extensive background in writing and has contributed to Cronkite Sports, PHNX Sports, and Motion Graphics.
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