- The Arizona Wildcats have won one national championship (1997).
- The last time they made the championship, they lost to Duke (2001).
- Sean Elliott is the school’s all-time leading scorer.
While the Wildcats just won the national championship in 1997, this team has been successful and consistent.
Since their win, they’ve appeared in one other championship game, losing to Duke and Final Four, seven Elite Eights, and 12 Sweet Sixteens.
In the era of online sports betting, those considering their basketball lines for wagering saw them go to a Sweet 16 in 2022 but lost in the first round of the tournament last year against No. 15 seed Princeton.
Despite that blunder, the Wildcats have had numerous talented players come through their ranks, including many who had incredible success at the professional level.
Below, I have the seven best Wildcats to ever lace up. Let’s check them out.
Best Arizona Wildcats Basketball Players of All Time
| Rank | Player | Position | Arizona Years |
| 1 | Sean Elliott | F | 1986-1989 |
| 2 | Mike Bibby | G | 1996-1998 |
| 3 | Andre Iguodala | G/F | 2002-2004 |
| 4 | Gilbert Arenas | G/F | 1999-2001 |
| 5 | Steve Kerr | G | 1984-1988 |
| 6 | Richard Jefferson | F | 1998-2001 |
| 7 | Aaron Gordon | F | 2013-2014 |
1. Sean Elliott
The all-time leading scorer in school history, Elliott was also born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He averaged over 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists during his time with the Wildcats and received numerous accolades.
In 1988, he was a first-team All-American, NCAA All-Tournament, Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year, and more. One year later, he was the AP Player of the Year and NABC Player of the Year and won the Adolph Rupp and Wooden Awards. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, and his No. 32 was retired by the team.
2. Mike Bibby
A member of the only Arizona Wildcats NCAA Tournament championship squad, Bibby was a
first-team All-American in 1998. That same year, he won Pac-10 Player of the Year, first-team All-Pac-10, and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, averaging 17.2 points, 5.7 assists, and three rebounds per game.
He averaged 13.5 points, 54.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman.
In the championship game, he scored 19 points.
3. Andre Iguodala
While he didn’t exactly stuff the stat sheet in college, Iguodala epitomizes being a team player and did so during his time at Arizona.
He averaged 9.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in two seasons. In his sophomore season, he averaged 12.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists before heading to the NBA. His averages are lower because he only started four games as a freshman.
He was named to the first-team All-Pac-10 in 2004 and a Pac-10 All-Freshman Team member in 2003.
4. Gilbert Arenas
Despite never winning a championship with the team, Arenas was instrumental in getting the Wildcats to the Final Four and a championship appearance in 2001—that’s the closest they’ve been to the title since winning in 1997.
In two seasons, he started 64 of 70 games and averaged 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
He was named to the first-team All-Pac-10 in 2001 and the Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2000.
5. Steve Kerr
A second-team All-American, third-team All-American, and two-time first-team All-Pac-10 player, Kerr had a successful career at Arizona before a legendary NBA career as a player and coach, where he’s won nine total championships.
In four seasons with Arizona, he averaged 11.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and one steal per game. He shot 54.9% from the floor, and his No. 25 was retired by the team.
6. Richard Jefferson
Averaging 11 points or more in each of his three seasons with Arizona, Jefferson averaged five rebounds, 2.8 assists and nearly one block per game across three seasons. He started 77 of 84 games, shooting 49% from the floor and nearly 37% from beyond the arch.
In his appearance in the championship game alongside Arenas, he scored 19 points and eight rebounds.
7. Aaron Gordon
This last spot is debatable, but I decided to nod to Gordo, a one-and-done player at Arizona. As a freshman, he averaged 12.5 points, eight rebounds, two assists, 0.9 steals, and one block per game.
His ability landed him a first-team All-Pac-12, third-team All-American, and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2014.
