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Where are they now? A look at the Arizona Wildcats who left early for the NBA Draft
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Editor's Pick

Where are they now? A look at the Arizona Wildcats who left early for the NBA Draft

  • Jun 29, 2018
  • Jun 29, 2018 Updated Jun 20, 2019
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Arizona is no stranger to having its players leave school early to pursue a career in the NBA. Here's how each has panned out.

Alkins, Trier the latest in a long history of Wildcats to leave early

No. 19 Arizona Wildcats vs. California Golden Bears college basketball (copy)

Rawle Alkins and Sean Miller share a moment after the sophomore exited the court at McKale Center for the final time. Twenty-two Wildcats in the last 27 years have left school early for the NBA Draft.

Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

Arizona's Rawle Alkins and Allonzo Trier both opted to forgo their remaining eligibility at the UA and instead enter the NBA Draft. They became the fourth and fifth Wildcats under Sean Miller to leave school early and go undrafted, but both have found a home in the association for now.

Here's a look at the 22 Wildcats who left early, and where they are now.

Rawle Alkins

University of Arizona vs North Dakota State (copy)
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Year he left: 2018, after sophomore season

Drafted in: Alkins was not selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, but is reported to have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Toronto Raptors.

College stats: Alkins played in 23 games as a sophomore and started 21, limited by a foot injury for much of the season. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds on 45 percent shooting in two years.

Allonzo Trier

University of Arizona vs UCLA (copy)
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Year he left: 2018, after junior season

Drafted in: Trier was not selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, but signed a two-way deal with the New York Knicks.

College stats: Trier's last year in Tucson was perhaps his best, as he averaged 18.1 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field, all career highs. He averaged 16.8 points over three seasons.

Chance Comanche

Chance Comanche
Memphis Hustle / NBA G League

Year he left: 2017, after sophomore season 

Drafted in: Comanche was not selected in the 2017 NBA Draft.  

How he fared: Comanche spent the year with the Memphis Grizzlies' G League affiliate. He started 14 games and played in 45 for the Memphis Hustle, averaging 9.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Kobi Simmons

Bulls Grizzlies Basketball (copy)
Mark Humphrey / AP Photo

Year he left: 2017, after freshman season 

Drafted in: Simmons was not selected in the 2017 NBA Draft.  

How he fared: Simmons started 12 games and appeared in 32 for the Memphis Grizzlies this season, working with averages of 6.1 points and 2.1 assists per contest. He played and started 26 games with the G League Hustle, averaging 15.1 points per game.

Lauri Markkanen

Lauri Markkanen Bulls (copy)
Tony Dejak/AP Photo

Year he left: 2017, after freshman season 

Drafted in: 1st round, seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves (draft rights traded to the Chicago Bulls) 

How he fared: Markkanen became the first former Wildcat named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team since Mike Bibby in 1999. Markkanen was the fastest player in NBA history to make 100 3-pointers (41 games), while he posted 15.2 points and 7.5 boards per game. He's entering the second year of an $8.3 million contract in Chicago. 

Brandon Ashley

Mavericks Hawks Basketball
John Locher / AP Photo

Year he left: 2015, after his junior season 

Drafted in: Ashley was not selected in the 2015 NBA Draft. 

How he fared: Ashley played for the Hawks in the 2015 NBA Summer League. He was named a D League All-Star in 2015-16, before leaving to sign with Alba Berlin of the German League. Back in the states this year, Ashley averaged 16.2 points per contest across 45 games and 42 starts with the Mavericks' G League affiliate.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Warriors Nets Basketball Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (copy)
Mary Altaffer/AP Photo

Year he left: 2015, after his sophomore season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 23rd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers (draft rights later traded to the Brooklyn Nets) 

How he fared: Hollis-Jefferson just completed his third season with the Nets. He's averaging 10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in his career, but recorded a career-high 13.9 points per game in 2017-18. He started 59 games and appeared in 68 games total.

Stanley Johnson

Warriors Pistons Basketball (copy)
Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Year he left: 2015, after his freshman season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 8th overall by the Detroit Pistons 

How he fared: Johnson just finished his third season with the Pistons. He is averaging seven points and 3.4 rebounds across three years, while shooting 37 percent from the field. His 8.7 points per game and 50 starts in 2017-18 were both career highs.

Nick Johnson

Your #GLeagueFinals MVP, @iamnjohn13! pic.twitter.com/KHWg4ehQzi

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 11, 2018

Year he left: 2014, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 2nd round, 42nd overall by the Houston Rockets 

How he fared: Johnson played just one season with the Rockets, appearing in 28 games while averaging 2.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. He played in the NBA's D League during the 2015-16 season, and moved overseas to play with Bayern Munich in 2016. In 2017-18, Johnson started 41 games for the G League Austin Spurs en route to the league's championship title and series MVP award.

Aaron Gordon

Magic Lakers Basketball (copy)
Reed Saxon / AP Photo

Year he left: 2014, after his freshman season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 4th overall by the Orlando Magic 

How he fared: Gordon just finished his fourth season in Orlando. He took his scoring average from 9.7 points per game to 11.4 points by averaging a career-best 17.6 points in 2017-18. He shot 43.4 percent from the field, a career low, but improved his 3-point accuracy while shooting 33.6 percent from deep. Gordon solidified himself as a star in the NBA during the 2016 Dunk Contest, in which he wowed fans with his high-flying, acrobatic dunks. 

Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett (Australia) (copy)
Ralph Freso/AP Photo

Year he left: 2013, after his freshman season 

Drafted in: 2nd round, 40th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers (draft rights later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder)

How he fared: Jerrett started his career in the NBA's D League. He spent 2016-17 in Beijing with the Chinese Basketball Association and averaged 17.8 points across 32 minutes per game. This season he appeared in 16 games and made 14 starts for the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers' G League team, and averaged 16.8 points per game.

Derrick Williams

Raptors Cavaliers Basketball (copy)
Tony Dejak / AP Photo 2017

Year he left: 2011, after his sophomore season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 2nd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves 

How he fared: In his seventh NBA season, Williams made just two appearances with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017-18 as part of a 10-day contract. The Lakers did not pick up his contract after that. Since being drafted in 2011, Williams played two and a half seasons for the Timberwolves, one and a half for the Kings, one for the Knicks, a partial season with the Heat and another with the Cavaliers. Williams is averaging 8.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his career. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie second team in 2012.

Chase Budinger

Lakers Timberwolves Basketball

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Chase Budinger dunks despite the defense of Los Angeles Lakers’ Ed Davis, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in Minneapolis. The Lakers won 101-99 in overtime. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Jim Mone

Year he left: 2009, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 2nd round, 44th overall by the Detroit Pistons 

How he fared: Budinger played seven seasons (2009-2016) in the NBA, averaging 7.9 points, 3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He played three seasons for the Rockets, three seasons for the Timberwolves and partial seasons for the Pacers and Suns. Budinger played for Saski Baskonia of the EuroLeague in 2016, and is currently pursuing a career in volleyball with the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals.) He made his professional beach volleyball debut in May.

Jordan Hill

APTOPIX Timberwolves Thunder Basketball
Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo 2016

Year he left: 2009, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 8th overall by the New York Knicks 

How he fared: Hill spent eight seasons in the NBA with the Knicks, Rockets, Lakers, Pacers and Timberwolves. Hill averaged 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in his career. He spent 2017 with the Nevada Desert Dogs in the North American Premier Basketball league, and currently resides in Vancouver with the Knights.

Jerryd Bayless

Grizzlies 76ers Basketball
Matt Slocum / AP Photo 2016

Year he left: 2008, after his freshman season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 11th overall by the Indiana Pacers 

How he fared: Bayless just finished his 10th season in the NBA. Since being drafted in 2008, Bayless played two seasons for the Trail Blazers, a partial season for the Hornets, one and a half for the Raptors, one and a half for the Grizzlies, a partial season for the Celtics, two for the Bucks and just wrapped up his second season with the 76ers. Over the course of his career, Bayless is averaging 8.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Bayless played in 39 games and started 11 this year, after missing almost the entire 2016-17 season with a bad wrist.

Marcus Williams

20 UA MEN'S BK KP-p5 (copy)
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star 2006

Year he left: 2007, after his sophomore season 

Drafted in: 2nd round, 33rd overall by the San Antonio Spurs 

How he fared: Williams was sent to the D League out of training camp. He played a total of 13 NBA games between 2007-09 — three for the Spurs and 10 for the Clippers. He played overseas between 2009-2015. Williams is now out of basketball. He last played in 2015 for the Jilin Northeast Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Andre Iguodala

NBA Finals Warriors Cavaliers Basketball (copy)
Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Year he left: 2004, after his sophomore season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 9th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers 

How he fared: Iguodala is one of the more accomplished Wildcats in NBA history, now a member of three championship teams in Golden State and owner of a finals MVP award (2015). In his 14th season in the league, Iguodala averaged six points, 3.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds across 64 games. Since being drafted in 2004, Iguodala played eight seasons for the 76ers, one season for the Nuggets and just completed his fifth season with the Warriors. Over the course of his career, Iguodala has averaged 12.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He won championships with the Warriors in 2015, 2017 and 2018. He's entering his third and final year of a $16 million deal.

Michael Wright

Michael Wright 2001 (copy)
E.J. Flynn/AP 2001

Year he left: 2001, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 2nd round, 39th overall by the New York Knicks 

How he fared: The Knicks cut Wright in training camp, and the forward went overseas to play. Wright played for 13 different teams between 2001-2015. He was the Turkish League's leading scorer in 2011 and 2013. 

Where he is now: Wright was killed in Brooklyn in 2015. 

Gilbert Arenas

Year he left: 2001, after his sophomore season

Drafted in: 2nd round, 31st overall by the Golden State Warriors 

How he fared: Arenas played 10 1/2 seasons (2001-12) in the NBA and averaged 20.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He played two seasons for the Warriors, seven and a half for the Wizards, half a season for the Magic and half a season for the Grizzlies. He was a three-time NBA All-Star. He's now retired and lives in the Los Angeles area. His last basketball action was in 2013 for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Richard Jefferson

Suns Nuggets Basketball (copy)
David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Year he left: 2001, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 13th overall by the Houston Rockets 

How he fared: After winning an NBA championship alongside LeBron James in Cleveland in 2016, Jefferson announced he was retiring. "I'm done. I'm done." Until he signed a one-year deal with the Nuggets in October 2017. Jefferson, 38, has played in 1,181 NBA games and has made about $114 million on the court. He just finished his 17th season in the NBA, second only to Jason Terry (19) for former Wildcats currently in the league. Jefferson has spent time with the Nets, Bucks, Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, Mavericks, Cavaliers and Nuggets. He is averaging 12.6 points, four rebounds and two assists per game in his career.

Mike Bibby

12 UA HOOPS KP-p4 (copy)
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star 2004

Year he left: 1998, after his sophomore season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 2nd overall by Vancouver Grizzlies 

How he fared: Bibby played 14 seasons (1998-2012) in the NBA and averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He played three seasons for the Grizzlies, six and a half for the Kings, three for the Hawks, and partial seasons for the Wizards, Heat and Knicks. His teams made the playoffs in 10 seasons. He's currently the head coach of the boys basketball team at Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School. His son, Michael, was a star there before moving on to the University of South Florida. Oh, and did we mention the former Wildcat has spent some time at the gym recently?

Brian Williams

Brian Williams (copy)

 

Michael S. Green / AP

Year he left: 1991, after his junior season 

Drafted in: 1st round, 10th overall by the Orlando Magic 

How he fared: Williams, who later changed his name to Bison Dele, played eight seasons (1991-99) in the NBA and averaged 11 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He played two seasons for the Magic, two for the Nuggets, one for the Clippers, one for the Bulls and two for the Pistons. He won a championship with the Bulls in 1997. 

Where he is now: Williams died mysteriously in 2002. 

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