Arizona On List of Top Teams for Wisconsin Star

The Arizona Wildcats are in play for one of the top players available in the transfer portal, as Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell has Arizona on his list of top schools.

The senior guard has his sights set on six schools: Duke, Illinois, UCLA, Louisville, Alabama, and Arizona. Blackwell is one of the most impressive players available in the portal, averaging 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season, for a Wisconsin team that was competitive in the Big Ten.

Blackwell is an exceptional shooter from the outside, shooting 39 percent from three-point territory last season on over 7 attempts per game. His ability to score the ball at a high level while being such a threat from three has made him a top portal commodity.

mmm — Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Andrew Rohde (7) talks with guard John Blackwell (25) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Arizona could benefit from his services thanks to the amount of losses they’ll be suffering this offseason. Leading scorer Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, and Jaden Bradley are likely to depart for the NBA Draft — Bradley has also exercised all of his collegiate eligibility. And the team is also losing seniors Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso along with Bradley.

All of those pieces made Arizona the powerhouse that it was in 2026. The team went 36-3 (started 23-0), swept the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament titles, and reached the Final Four for the first time in 25 years, where they would eventually fall to the Michigan Wolverines.

Despite the sour ending, the season was one of the best in program history for the Wildcats. Their 36 wins, and .923 winning percentage are both program-bests for a full season. Arizona also consistently ranked inside the top 5 of numerous metrics, including KenPom, NET, and the AP Poll — where they also spent nine straight weeks at #1.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) passes against the High Point Panthers during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

With a lot of production walking out of the door this offseason, adding a player such as Blackwell could help remedy some of those losses. Head coach Tommy Lloyd has been successful with marquee transfers in the past, the most recent example being Caleb Love, who spent two seasons in Tucson after being a star at UNC.

The Wildcats will hope that Blackwell chooses them as his next destination, and continue to scout the transfer portal for other notable talents. After a very successful season last year that saw the Wildcats break several program benchmarks, they’ll look to build on that with an even better season in 2026-27. As such, adding a player of Blackwell’s caliber would be a great start.