Arizona Building a Fearsome Front Court Combo for 2025

Arizona might have drawn the top matchup in all of college basketball for the season opener, traveling to Las Vegas for the Hall of Fame Series to take on the Florida Gators, who took home the national title last season.

The Wildcats will be replacing plenty of production from Caleb Love and Carter Bryant, both of whom departed for the NBA in the summer. The nation's No. 2 recruiting class will shoulder the brunt of responsibility this season, but two returning Arizona big men could dominate the glass in the Big 12 this season.

Mar 8, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Arizona Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd watches game play during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Forwards Tobe Awaka and Motiejus Krivas are expected to share the floor this season in Tucson in the frontcourt. Krivas was limited to just eight games last season with a leg injury, while Awaka collected 7.8 rebounds per game after transferring from Tennessee.

With Henri Veesaar having transferred to North Carolina, the floor is clear once again for Krivas to play. The 7-foot-2-inch big is entering his third season with the Wildcats and has a significant length advantage over the 6-foot-8-inch Awaka. Both players didn't share the floor much last season when Krivas was healthy, rather rotating at the five-spot.

Mar 28, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Clemson Tigers forward RJ Godfrey (10) controls the ball against Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (14) in the first half in the semifinals of the West Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

With freshmen Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, Dwayne Aristode and Sidi Gueye providing more size and scoring flexibility at the forward position, it's possible Awaka and Krivas could share the floor more this season with the depth behind them.

Jaden Bradley

Jaden Bradley will shoulder more of the offensive load this season, but Awaka is a very efficient scoring big man in the paint. He connected on 64.6% of his shots last season and pulled in nearly three offensive boards a game. He was rewarded as an All-Big 12 honorable mention last season.

Feb 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) attempts to block BYU Cougars forward Kanon Catching (6) from a basket during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Awaka has been working to expand his offensive game this offseason, so maybe we could see he and Krivas share the floor more this season and have Awaka step to the mid-range or perimeter a bit more. It won't be a strength for him, but it could help Arizona stretch the floor while having a size edge.

Mar 26, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks to the media at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Krivas provides extra length to disrupt action in the mid-range game this season. Awaka and Krivas sharing the floor would be beneficial when some of Arizona's better shooters, like Bradley and freshman Brayden Burries, need to take a break. The depth up front will allow Tommy Lloyd to go big often and bully opponents down low.

Nov 4, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (14) dribbles the ball during the first half against Canisius Golden Griffins at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Both could start this season if that approach works well, but it's more likely that Awaka earns the majority of starts this season, with Peat entering the lineup as well.

I would expect Lloyd to experiment with different looks in the lineup during the early portion of the season, but it is something worth keeping an eye on against the rest of the Big 12.

What are your expectations for Awaka and Krivas this season? Let us know by commenting and following us on our X account by clicking on the link.