An Early Look at Which Wildcats Could Hit Transfer Portal

Although it's far too early, let's take a look at who might transfer in the coming weeks.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) and Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) celebrate after a play against the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The basketball season has officially ended, and the Arizona Wildcats are looking to build off of perhaps the best season in the program's history. Although, the Wildcats did not make it past the Final Four, losing to the National Champion Michigan Wolverines 91-73 in Indianapolis.

Despite the semifinal loss, it was still an impressive season as Arizona finished with a 36-3 record, won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Big 12, advanced past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014, and made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2001.

Hell of a ride. Thank you Wildcat Nation. pic.twitter.com/R5GXHTcv7M

— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) April 5, 2026

Not only did Arizona achieve many milestones in the 2025-2026 season, but it also locked down head coach Tommy Lloyd for five more years, an announcement made a day before the Final Four game. Arizona will have a ton of turnover in the offseason, as many seniors will be departing the program, along with projected NBA draft picks.

With seniors out of eligibility and teammates entering the draft, other players will follow suit and transfer out of the program to join another school's team if the fit is right. It is far too early to predict who will transfer accurately, and so far, no rumors have come out. With that said, we are here to do our best in predicting who might transfer.

Dwayne Aristode

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) shoots against the LIU Sharks in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Dwayne Aristode was one of the freshmen who made up the No. 2 recruiting class in the country and earned his way to being a key piece in Arizona's eight-man rotation. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward logged some valuable minutes during the season, averaging 13.4.

Aristode showed flashes of being a crucial player on both offense and defense, but never got enough floor time to showcase his skill set against major competition. It is not yet known whether Ivan Kharchenkov is on his way to the NBA Draft or returning for one more year under Lloyd.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; LIU Sharks guard Greg Gordon (2) controls the ball against Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If Kharchenkov leaves, Aristode will see plenty of time on the court as he will be a valuable player under Tommy Lloyd. If not, Aristode may consider looking elsewhere for more playing time.

Mabil Mawut

Mar 25, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) high-fives forward Mabil Mawut (20) during a practice session ahead of the west regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Mabil Mawut was another key piece of the recruiting class. He was recruited by the NBA Academy, moved from South Sudan to Senegal, and honed his skills there from 2021 to 2023. From there, he moved to the Bronx, NY, to play for Our Savior Lutheran.

Mawut was redshirted this season and, like Aristode, could see an uptick in minutes in the following year. Given who leaves or who Arizona picks up in the transfer portal, Mawut could possibly test the transfer waters himself to see if a team could utilize his skillset.

Bryce James

Jan 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Bryce James (6) looks on during the game between the Horned Frogs and the Wildcats at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bryce James also redshirted this year and can be a potential star for the Wildcats in the upcoming season. Although returning to the Wildcats for his sophomore year would greatly benefit him, there is no telling what could happen in the coming days.

As stated before, there have been no reports of anyone on the Wildcats possibly transferring, but with the portal opening this Tuesday, there could be some announcements coming. Players will have 15 days to choose their destination.