Peat Remains With Burning Decision Arizona Fans Are Waiting For

Peat has one of the more confusing draft cases in the entire class.

Michigan center Aday Mara (15) blocks Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) shot in the second half of their Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona forward Koa Peat has been one of the more difficult players to evaluate heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.

The rookie forward for Arizona this past season had himself a strong freshman season, averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 53 percent from the floor. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward was quite a bruiser for the Wildcats, often out-muscling his opponents for easy baskets in the painted area. 

Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) slips past Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) on Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He, along with Brayden Burries and Ivan Kharchenkov, helped Arizona reach heights they haven’t seen in decades. After a blazing 23-0 start to the season, the Wildcats went on to win a program-record 36 games and reached the Final Four for the first time in 25 seasons. They’d go on to lose to Michigan in blowout fashion in the Final Four, but it didn’t take away from the success that Arizona had last season. 

Dec 6, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Pea (10) scores a jumper over Auburn Tigers forward KeShawn Murphy during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Questions Over Peat’s Game

However, Peat’s overall game has raised some scouts' questions about his NBA potential. At the beginning of the season, Peat was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that is no longer the case, and many mock boards place him outside the draft lottery, although he is still expected to be a first-round pick. 

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Will Tschetter (42) rebounds the ball against Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) 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

Some of the main concerns with Peat’s games involve his lack of a perimeter game — he shot 35 percent on three-pointers last season, but on only 0.6 attempts per game — and the fact that he doesn’t project as a truly excellent defender on both the perimeter and the interior. As such, some have suggested that Peat should return to Arizona next season to sharpen his skills even further. Nonetheless, his physical tools are still intriguing enough to get him selected in the first round. 

CBS’s Cameron Salerno expects him to be selected with the 16th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies later this summer, while also acknowledging the benefit of returning to Tucson for a second season. 

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

Salerno’s Projection 

“Peat to the Grizzlies is exactly where I had the Arizona star forward in my last mock,” Salerno said. “Again, I think Peat would benefit more than anyone else picked outside of the lottery in returning to school to develop his shot from outside the paint, but you can't blame him for staying in the draft if he can get a "promise" inside the top 20. Peat's return to school would make him (in my opinion) a projected top-five pick next summer.”