Markelle Fultz’s arrival at McKale Center on Sunday was unique in that it’s been a while since Arizona has hosted a future No. 1 draft pick.
Late in the game, an 11-point Arizona win, Fultz went to the free-throw line to chants of “over-rated.” He missed both free throws and finished the game with just 16 points, a rarity in his stellar freshman campaign.
Whether that “overrated” chant was warranted or not, Sean Miller-coached Arizona teams have a tendency to make star players look underwhelming.
“They do a great job defending,” said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar. “They make it hard on you to score.”
In Miller’s early years, that effort was spearheaded by Kyle Fogg. Then came Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the 6-foot-7 forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and the range and athletic ability to guard point guards and power forwards with equal assurance.
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Now it’s Kadeem Allen, who many view as one of the best-defending guards in the country.
“He does it on the ball, he does it against a variety of players,” Miller said. “He’s not relegated to just guarding a point guard or just a two-guard. He can guard a 1, a 2 or a 3.”
Allen impressed while guarding Fultz, who is viewed by many as the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. Allen wasn’t about to take full credit for it, though.
“It was a challenge for the both of us,” Allen said. “We’re a great defensive team and he’s a great offensive player, so the whole team bought in, we played team basketball and we got the job done.”
This season, Arizona has faced six players projected by DraftExpress as first-round picks. How did the Wildcats fare? It’s been a mixed bag, though Arizona won every game. Here’s a look:
Markelle Fultz
School: Washington
Position: Point guard
DraftExpress ranking: 1
Season averages: 23.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 turnovers per game; 48.2 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers; 34.8 percent shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Huskies 77-66 on Sunday.
Lonzo Ball
School: UCLA
Position: Point guard
DraftExpress ranking: 2
Season averages: 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8 assists and 2.5 turnovers per game; 53.8 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 24 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 turnover; 66.7 percent shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Bruins 96-85 on Jan. 21.
Miles Bridges
School: Michigan State
Position: Small forward/power forward
DraftExpress ranking: 11
Season averages: 16.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.9 turnovers per game; 49 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 turnovers; 47.4 percent shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Spartans 65-63 on Nov. 11.
Ivan Rabb
School: Cal
Position: Power forward
DraftExpress ranking: 14
Season averages: 15.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.2 turnovers per game; 52.8 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 16 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 turnovers; 53.8% shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Golden Bears 67-62 on Dec. 30.
Robert Williams
School: Texas A&M
Position: Power forward/center
DraftExpress ranking: 15
Season averages: 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.7 turnovers per game; 58.2 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 turnovers; 70 percent shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Aggies 67-63 on Dec. 17.
T.J. Leaf
School: UCLA
Position: Power forward
DraftExpress ranking: 22
Season averages: 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 turnovers per game; 62.6 percent shooting.
Versus Arizona: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists and 1 turnover; 50 percent shooting.
Outcome: Arizona beat the Bruins 96-85 on Jan. 21.
Contact:zrosenblatt@tucson.com or 573-4145. On Twitter: @ZackBlatt
