Advertisement
basketball Edit

Basketball notes: Akinjo enters NBA Draft, Arizona back to Maui in 2022

Arizona did not take part in the postseason, yet it has been anything but a quiet spring for the Wildcats. Several players have already decided to move on from the program as the team looks ahead to the future and the 2021-22 season. This week another one of UA's veterans has decided about his future while Thursday it was revealed that the Wildcats will be one of eight teams playing at a major event next year.

Here are the latest basketball notes as the month of April begins.

Point guard James Akinjo enters name into 2021 NBA Draft

Advertisement

Arizona junior point guard James Akinjo didn't give a clear answer about his future when asked after the team's final game of the season last month. Instead, he left his future a bit open ended. Wednesday evening he made the next move in his career path by announcing his plans to enter the 2021 NBA Draft after just one season on the floor with the Wildcats. The Georgetown transfer, who was a first-team All-Pac-12 player this season, has decided to keep all his options open by not signing with an agent therefore giving him the opportunity to return to UA if he doesn't like the information he gets back from NBA teams.

"I look forward to going through the pre-draft process, gathering information and making the best decision for me and my family," Akinjo said in a statement released by the program announcing his decision. "Coming to the University of Arizona to play basketball has been one of the best decisions of my life. Coach Miller, the coaching staff and my teammates have supported me and pushed me to achieve my goals from day one.

"They have helped me be successful on and off the court and every one of them is like family to me."

Akinjo, who transferred to UA for the spring semester in 2020 after starting that season with the Hoyas, was the only player to start all 26 games for the Wildcats this season. He played a team-high 34.7 minutes per game on his way to being the engine for this year's squad.

The California native led the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game while also finishing the season by averaging 5.4 assists, which was second-best among Pac-12 players. During conference play he had the highest assist average in the league with 5.8 assists in 20 Pac-12 games.

Akinjo will have until mid-July to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Arizona.

Wildcats set to play in 2022 Maui Invitational

Thursday the field for the 2022 Maui Invitational was released and Arizona will again be part of the group to take part in the tournament at the Lahaina Civic Center in November next year. Arkansas, Cincinnati, Creighton, Louisville, Ohio State, San Diego State and Texas Tech are the other seven programs set to play in the event.

Arizona's last trip to the Maui Invitational came in 2018. It will be the program's eighth visit to Hawaii for the event with the Wildcats having secured tournament wins in 2000 and 2014 when Stanley Johnson earned the MVP award.

Over its eight appearances in the event Arizona has secured 14 wins, which is the third-most in the event's history. UA has an overall record of 14-8 in Maui Invitational games.

****

> 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, @MattGOAZCATS)

> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)

> LIKE us on Facebook

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

Advertisement