Brayden Burries Earns Special Recognition From Arizona

The Arizona Wildcats honored one of their bright young stars earlier this week, naming Brayden Burries as Newcomer of the Year at Arizona, highlighting the university’s top freshman athlete.

Burries is more than deserving of this distinction. The rookie guard averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three-point range. His scoring ability was key to the Wildcats having one of their most successful seasons in recent memory, and gave the team a major jolt that it needed to run smoothly on that end of the floor.

Burries Part of Arizona’s Core

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) goes to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the second 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 6-foot-4 guard made up one of Arizona’s star trio of freshmen, alongside Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov. Despite their youth, the Wildcats’ freshmen played as if established veterans for the majority of the season and rarely showed signs of inexperience.

Burries also displayed an ability to rebound the ball at a high-level and be a pesky defender on the other side of the floor. Over the course of his one season at Arizona, Burries proved that he can be more than just a volume scoring guard and showed off plenty of versatility.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

He scored 20 or more points 14 times this past season. After starting the season with just one double-digit scoring outing in his first five games, Burries scored in double-figures in every game except for four for the rest of the season. Burries was also Arizona’s best three-point shooter throughout the season, converting on a team-high 70 three-pointers.

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

Arizona Last Season

The Wildcats won a program-best 36 games after a 23-0 start. Their .923 winning percentage was also a program record for a full season. Led by Burries, the Wildcats made it all the way to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years.

In a loaded Big 12 conference, Burries helped lead the Wildcats to a sweep of the regular season and conference tournament crowns, turning Arizona into a powerhouse for most of the season.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Burries will likely be headed for the NBA Draft later this summer. Many projections see Burries being selected in the lottery of the 2026 NBA Draft, and also project him to be one of the top guards in the draft class alongside the likes of Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, Alabama’s Labaron Philon, and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler. After a stellar freshman season at Arizona, Burries will look to continue his legacy at the next level in the NBA.

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