Arizona Hosting Top Transfer Guard on Official Visit

Wildcats look to reload in the backcourt after Final Four run, with a proven scorer potentially filling a key role.

Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks with a referee Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona is coming off one of the best seasons in program history, as they made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and won 36 games, which is a program record. With players graduating, transferring, and declaring for the NBA Draft, the Wildcats will have to retool through the transfer portal.

With how respected head coach Tommy Lloyd is and how well the program did this season, the Wildcats are expected to bring in a top portal class and be a contender once again next season. Lloyd will be losing some key players from this season, like Jaden Bradley, and most likely Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. 

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

— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) April 5, 2026

The program does have a five-star guard, Caleb Holt, who will be joining the team next season. That will help fill the void of Bradley and Burries, but they will still be lacking a guard.

Jackson Shelstad Set for Offical Visit 

Oregon’s Jackson Shelstad, left, moves the ball against Portland’s Joel Foxwell at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Dec. 17, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As of yesterday, it has been confirmed by 247Sports that Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad will take an official visit to Louisville and Arizona. Shelstad averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game last year with the Ducks.

He is a junior transfer, but the Wildcats may get him for two seasons, as Shelstad has applied for a medical redshirt. He suffered a season-ending hand injury at the end of 2025. This would grant him an extra year of eligibility and allow him to play two years with Lloyd and the Wildcats.

Coach Lloyd has been named Naismith Coach of the Year 👏

He becomes the first Arizona coach to win the award. pic.twitter.com/SkRDqL1x3Y

— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) April 5, 2026

What Does Shelstad Offer?

Shelstad would be replacing Bradley at the lead guard role, so the question is what he can offer. Very few guards in the nation can replace the defensive skill set Bradley provided, so it would be a defensive downgrade with Shelstad. The positive is the offensive explosion he can bring to the Wildcats.

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Outside of Burries and Anthony Dell'Orso, the Wildcats significantly lacked 3-point shooting last season. Shelstad can knock down shots from the outside and expand opposing defenses. His three-point percentage took a dip last season, but it was just a 12-game sample size, and Shelstad increased his volume as well. In the 2024-25 season, he shot 38% from downtown on five attempts a game.

So, although he has not been the most consistent, Shelstad has also never played at a program like Arizona. With a fully healthy season and under a coach like Lloyd, you can expect Shelstad to have an improved three-point shooting campaign. The talent is obviously there. He just needs to be more consistent.

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The whole world witnessed the Wildcats' offensive struggles in their Final Four blowout loss to Michigan. They lacked outside shooting and shot creation. Shelstad would fix those two problems immediately and be a key player going into next season’s title run.