With Arizona’s nickname being Point Guard U, it is easy to remember all the guards that have dawned the cardinal and navy under head coaches Lute Olson and Sean Miller.
With multiple point guards having their jerseys in the rafters in McKale Center and earning player of the year honors, it is easy to forget that multiple frontcourt players have also made their mark at Arizona.
Whether it is lighting up teams from behind the arc, slamming with authority or shutting down multiple positions, Arizona boasts a solid resume of forwards and centers that made their mark in both college and the pros.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Accolades: First-team All-Pac 12, Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
A fan favorite during his two-year stint with the Wildcats, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson routinely shut down opponents during his sophomore year, including future NBA players D’Angelo Russell and Joe Young. While he may have been in the shadow of Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon his freshman year, and Stanley Johnson and T.J. McConnell as a sophomore, nobody could slam or shimmy like Hollis-Jefferson.
Andre Iguodala
Accolades: First-team All-Pac-10
Before he became an NBA Finals MVP under Arizona great Steve Kerr, Andre Iguodala was a Swiss Army knife for the Wildcats during his two years at Arizona. His sophomore year he would lead the team in assists, rebounds and steals and joined Jason Kidd as the only two players in Pac-10 history to record three triple-doubles in a season.
Channing Frye
Accolades: 2x First-team All-Pac-10, Pac-10 All-Freshman Team
Channing Frye was the man in the middle for a Wildcats team that frequently featured three or four future NBA players in the lineup. He would finish his career second in both Arizona and Pac-10 history in career blocks with 258 and receive the Sapphire Award, given to Arizona’s outstanding senior male student-athlete.
Derrick Williams
Accolades: 2x First-team All-Pac-10, Pac-10 Player of the Year
In 2011, Derrick Williams held the prestigious honor of being the only Arizona big man to become an All-American. That year, he led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight with a 32 point, 13 rebound explosion against the No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils.
Sean Elliott
Accolades: 1989 Wooden Award, 1989 Adolph Rupp Award, 1989 AP Player of the Year, 2x consensus All American, 2x All-Pac-10, Arizona all-time leading scorer
The greatest player in UA program history was a small forward from Tucson who helped put his city on the map in the 1980s. Sean Elliott is the most decorated player at Arizona and the small forward would go on to become a two-time All Star and NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs. He would have his No. 32 retired at both Arizona and for the Spurs.
