Following a tough loss in the Round of 32 in this year’s NCAA Tournament, head coach Adia Barnes held an end-of-season press conference where she acknowledged how different the roster will look next season.

The Wildcats have now signed five-star guard Paris Clark, who will be expected to make an immediate impact upon her arrival at the University of Arizona, after she committed to the program in the fall.

“We’ve been counting down the days,” Barnes said about Clark’s signing becoming official Wednesday. “She left today to go to the Jordan game. ... Great offensive rebounder and a player that really fits us and is aligned with us culturally in every way off the court, which was one of the biggest things with her.”

Clark will come to Arizona along with Kailyn Gilbert, who is also expected to have big role in her first year. The incoming freshman guard was a standout at IMG Academy in Florida, and her senior season included having a game where she dropped 40 points on Jan. 27.

The Wildcats’ class is highlighted by post player Maya Nnaji, who will come to Tucson as the highest-rated prospect to join the program.

“They all fit really well because they are different,” Barnes said about her guard duo of Gilbert and Clark. “I’d say Kailyn is a scorer but shoots it a little bit more. In the open floor Paris gets to the rim a lot at a faster pace and just really athletic, which they both are. I’d say Kailyn shoots it probably a little bit more consistently from the outside, but then I think defensively Paris she’s athletic like Shaina [Pellington] and has a nice pull-up. She is a really incredible offensive rebounder.”

Luckily for the Wildcats, they have the luxury to be able to have both Gilbert and Clark on the floor at the same time instead of having to compete with each other for minutes.

“They can play together,” Barnes said. “They’re not going to be competing for the same spot because they are different players so I see them playing together. I even see Shaina, Kailyn and Paris playing together, too. So I think with different combinations. Kailyn can also shoot it, spread the floor.

“They can both play the one and the two so I think a really good dynamic backcourt together.”

Arizona’s problems offensively this season tended to revolve around the inability of players to generate their own shot. Aari McDonald was a master of that, but not having her on the team eliminated that threat making it more difficult to put points on the scoreboard.

The Wildcats have been able to successfully added multiple players that are able to be generate shots. Barnes believes it was necessary to do so to help strengthen her team heading into the fall.

“In this class we have multiple players that can create, and I think that’s special and that’s what we needed,” Barnes said. “I think it's very difficult, even last year, Shaina was the one that can create. Before that, Aari created a lot of shots. I think you’re more dangerous when you have multiple players that can create their own shot. So when you become stagnant you’re not just looking to give it to the creator. So I think that’s what is special about this class.”

With many new additions coming to the program, there are also players leaving the program. Guard Bendu Yeaney and forward Semaj Smith added their names to the list of Wildcats players that are entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.

A list that already includes Koi Love, Derin Erdogan, Aaronette Vonleh and Gisela Sanchez. Though she has not announced anything about her future, Taylor Chavez was not included in the group of players Barnes mentioned Wednesday. She transferred to UA from Oregon following the 2020-21 season.

“They did enter the transfer portal,” Barnes confirmed about both Yeaney and Smith. “So Semaj is going to go as a fifth-year to get her COVID year and try to apply to grad school and then probably look to go closer to home. And then Bendu is kind of looking for something different may look close to home but just exploring her options.”

With all the moves occurring, Arizona still has additional scholarships available which it will be selective in using to ensure the Wildcats get what they are looking for. That will bring a different approach from Barnes and her staff this offseason.

“Before I did some research of course I’m not going to take anyone in the program and not do research, but now I am extensively researching,” Barnes said. “Instead of three people I am talking to like eight. Just because different people say different things and you just want to get the honest truth. And I think that’s what is hard about our business is there is a lot of things you can’t say in transferring and a lot of things you can’t share. The problem is no one really tells anybody anything.

“... I just want to make sure that whoever I bring in is directly aligned with us culturally on the court, off the court. That are here to want to win a championship. That are here to add to the culture. That are here to work hard.”

Barnes says Arizona’s plan is to add three more players via the transfer portal to end up with around 12 scholarship players heading into next season instead of the 15 players the team carried last season. She added that she isn’t sure if she will ever again carry that many players despite it being allowed per the NCAA rules.

With a full offseason still to go, it will be interesting to see what other roster changes the Wildcats make between now and their season opener in the fall.

> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona fans Inside McKale

> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel

> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom, @MattRMoreno, @THutch1995, @AverieKlonowski)

> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)

> LIKE us on Facebook

> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)