Third-year Arizona basketball walk-on guard Sven Djopmo enjoying ride with Wildcats

Until two people approached, including one named Jaden Bradley.

“So I talked to Brayden (Burries) and I asked him who were the tougher players to guard on the green squad. Your name came up,” Bradley said, holding a phone toward Djopmo in voice recorder mode. “Why do you think that is?"

Djompo grinned and answered the question in the exact same way his scholarship teammates typically answer.

“I just have good positioning and my teammates find me,” Djopmo said.

UA fans have seen flashes of Djopmo’s offense, too, with the third-year guard from Reims, France, having scored 10 points over 17 brief appearances this season.

But Djopmo’s work on the green team, the walk-ons and other reserves who face UA’s rotation players while wearing easily distinguishable green mesh shirts in practice, isn’t just about offense.

Sometimes, it’s just about the pounding he takes on the defensive end.

Much of the time Djopmo is asked to "become" a post player, meaning when Arizona is doing drills to attack another team's ball-screen defense, he's the guy asked to be the ball-screen defender.

That means he's the guy whose 190-pound, 6-2 body frequently runs straight into the hard, hard screens of big men Motiejus Krivas or Tobe Awaka.

Not fun. But, to Djopmo, it all is.

“Good. Great,” Djopmo said, when asked about his UA experience so far. “I mean, just being part of an amazing team is great. We’ve done great things over the years.”

All the basketball stuff is a bonus, really.

Djompo arrived at UA during the 2023-24 season to simply take classes, having played for a junior club team outside of Paris in Nanterre, France,  but having no connection to the UA basketball staff, nor even an invitation to join the team.

He just showed up.

“I applied for college as a normal student and not only Arizona, but at the time, Utah said yes,” Djopmo said. “But this was cool. I knew it was a good school and I also went to a good school in France and I wanted to see the academic side of it first. But if basketball happens, too, it’s perfect.”

Djopmo had heard of Arizona basketball. He once met former UA guard Nick Johnson, who played two seasons for Nanterre’s senior club, and had even managed to find a little bit of March Madness action in France.

“They don't show really college games in France, but sometimes I would watch” elsewhere, Djopmo said. “I saw a couple of times Arizona and other big schools. I knew Duke, too, at that time, but just a few of them.”

Djopmo said he tried emailing the basketball staffs at schools he had been accepted to and received no answers, telling his dad that he had to just go and try to make an impression in person.

Upon arriving at Arizona, he said he lucked into a youth camp where he came across UA coach Tommy Lloyd, who is known for recruiting and relating to international players.

“I met coach and he was impressed that I came all the way from France,” Djopmo said. “He told me I could do a walk-on tryout to see what I’ve got.”

Before long, Djopmo was headed into the Eller College of Management as a business and economics major and joined the Wildcats as a walk-on even as the 2023-24 season was starting.

Djopmo didn’t play in games that season, but managed to get in two last season and 17 so far this season. He said he’s aimed to keep improving both in basketball and academics, though he said he isn't sure exactly what he’ll end up pursuing.

“I don't know yet, really, I would say,” Djopmo said. “I just enjoy the moment.”