Rawle Alkins returning to Arizona
By Sean Bock
Arizona freshman guard Rawle Alkins announced Sunday he would be withdrawing his name from the 2017 NBA Draft and return to Arizona for his sophomore season.
The expectations for the 2017-18 Arizona men’s basketball team just got a lot greater. Per his Twitter page, freshman guard Rawle Alkins decided to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return for his second season in Tucson.
According to multiple draft boards, Alkins was considered to be a late second-round pick, and there was a possibility he could even go undrafted. Now, with the return of Alkins, there’s little question that Arizona should be a top-5 team entering the season.
Coach Sean Miller and company lose guard Kobi Simmons, Kadeem Allen, and potential lottery pick Lauri Markannen but return Alkins and sophomore guard Allonzo Trier, who was forced to sit out for a majority of the season due to NCAA drug violations.
In addition to Alkins and Trier, rising seniors 7-foot Dusan Ristic and guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright both return which will give the Wildcats plenty of leadership on the floor along with talent.
Sean Miller also brings in 2017 No. 3 Recruiting class according to ESPN.com.
7-foot McDonald’s All-American DeAndre Ayton will likely see his fair share of minutes right away and provide a potent frontcourt duo with Ristic.
Also in the mix is 4-star shooting guard Brandon Randolph. Standing at 6-foot-6, Randolph is a lengthy guard who excels at making the 3-ball, which will give Arizona another guard who can put the ball in the bucket.
A Brooklyn, New York native, Alkins is as tough as nails. He’s at his best when he’s attacking the basket and doesn’t shy away from contact which helps him draw fouls and get to the free throw line.
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During his freshman season, Alkins averaged 10.9 points and 2.1 assists in 28.1 minutes per game. An area where he improved over the course of the year was his defense, which made him an even more productive player.
Not only can Alkins increase his draft stock with another year in college, but he has the pieces around him to lead the Arizona program to their first national title since 1997.