Inside The Wildcats

3 Wildcats Featured Among ESPN's Midseason Top 50

Arizona's undefeated start has the college sports world taking notice.
Travis Tyler|
Jan 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd in the first half against the Central Florida Knights at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd in the first half against the Central Florida Knights at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

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Arizona Wildcats

Arizona's men's basketball team has risen to the No. 1 national ranking and is one of two remaining undefeated teams, so it's not a surprise to see the WIldcats prominently featured as publications begin to recognize teams, players, and achievements as we circle the season's halfway point.

ESPN recently released its mid-season Top-50 college basketball players list, and three Wildcats made the cut. That's tied for the most of any one team in the country with UConn and Iowa State.

top college basketball players
Jan 26, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) drives to the basket while being defended by BYU Cougars forward Mihailo Bošković (5) at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Top 50 Wildcats

Jaden Bradley

The senior guard and third-leading scorer for Arizona is the top-ranked Wildcat on the list at No. 21. The recognition comes on the heels of a 26-point performance at BYU, after which head coach Tommy Lloyd praised Bradley and established the expectation that he ends the season as an All-American. It's perfomances like that that landed Bradley on this list.

"Bradley opened the season with clutch performances down the stretch of marquee wins over Florida and UConn and has established himself as one of the best point guards in the country," the article explains. "He is averaging 14.0 points and 4.4 assists after his 26-point performance against BYU on Monday, also ranking in the top 10 of the Big 12 in steal percentage."

Brayden Burries

Freshman guard Brayden Burries is the next Wildcat on the list, coming in at No. 31. He's one of two Arizona freshmen who made the cut, but he's also perhaps the most surprising player from the beginning of the season until now. Burries leads Arizona with 15.2 points per game, an impressive feat for a first-year player, and was a huge part of holding on for a win over BYU.

ESPN decided to include him in this list because of how difficult it can be freshmen to carve out a role for top-tier team, and he's done it without any hesitation. It may even lead him to a bright future in the NBA, which could be sooner than initially expected.

"Players don't always know how to find a role on a great team, but that hasn't been a problem for Burries, a 6-4 freshman guard for the No. 1 team in America," the outlet says. "He has responded to every charge from coach Tommy Lloyd and managed to build chemistry on a stacked roster. Averaging 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals, Burries is a projected first-round draft pick because of his versatility and all-around talent."

Koa Peat

Star freshman big man Koa Peat is the third and final Arizona Wildcat among ESPN's Top 50 Players in College Basketball. He's listed at No. 33 and may have been higher if it wasn't for a few slower games over the last few weeks. Still, he's a future star and a potential x-factor moving forward, even if he has been passed for the distinction of Arizona's best freshman.

top college basketball player
Jan 26, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) looks on during the first half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

"Peat grabbed a seat at the table of elite freshman from day one, when he finished with 30 points (on 11-for-18 shooting), 7 rebounds and 5 assists in Arizona's 93-87 win over defending national champion Florida in the season-opener.," ESPN writes. "Over the next two months, the 6-8 forward endured the growing pains most freshman experience. However, he has once again evolved into a go-to threat for the No. 1 team in America. In the eight games prior to Monday's matchup against BYU in Provo, Utah, he averaged 16.1 points and shot 60% inside the arc."

Peat and Burries were also included on ESPN's Top 10 Freshmen list published last week.

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Travis Tyler
TRAVIS TYLER

Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.