Maksim Brnovic Shines for Arizona in NCAA Tournament Preview Amid Godfrey Eligibility Uncertainty

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Apr 2, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd during a press conference ahead of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.

| IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWhile RJ Godfrey battles in court for another year of eligibility, Arizona is preparing for the year without the Clemson transfer - and it leaves a big hole in the frontcourt. One of the top contenders to fill that hole, Montenegrin big man Maksim Brnovic, helped his cause on Friday with a The 6'10 forward dropped 10 points on 4-6 shooting, including 2-3 from deep, along with four rebounds and a steal in 19 minutes of action.

His sequence midway through the first half - where he hit a three, got a steal on the other end, and threw down a crowd-pleasing dunk in transition - was one of the biggest highlights of the game, a game where he was the lone Wildcat to shoot 50+% from the field. Coach Lloyd loved what he saw from the teenager on Friday night, and believes the future is very bright for Brnovic.

"He's got a world of potential," Lloyd said after the game. "It'll be interesting to see how long it kinda takes him to get closer to his ceiling. It could take him a while, but he's showing that he's not scared out there, and he was able to make some critical plays in the game.

" The 6'10 Brnovic joined Arizona in early June from Zalgiris, shortly after Koa Peat kept his name in the NBA draft - but well before Godfrey was in the picture. At the time he was considered a potential starting option next to Krivas - and that could still be the direction they go if Godfrey remains ineligible.

But Arizona could also go with a two-PG lineup of Derek Dixon and JJ Mandaquit - who each had 12 points on Friday - or freshman wing Cameron Holmes. Either option would push Ivan Kharchenkov from the three to the four. While Kharchenkov is more than capable at PF, Arizona's best lineup is with him at small forward - especially if Brnovic is spacing the floor and opening up driving lanes and room for Mo Krivas to operate.

Lloyd believes the added reps are really helping Brnovic prepare for his first collegiate season, which gets underway Nov. 2 against UCLA.

"I'm really excited about the progress he's making and all the reps he's getting," Lloyd continued. "And I think we're really gonna be able to hone in on some growth areas in the coming weeks. " Arizona's final exhibition game is set for Friday, Oct. 23 against Eastern Washington. Tip is 7:00 PM MST and the game will be on ESPN+.

Andy Patton is a college basketball writer with deep ties to both Gonzaga and Arizona. A Gonzaga alumnus who graduated in 2013, he has hosted the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021 and has co-hosted the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022.

His years covering the Bulldogs have also given him extensive familiarity with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent more than two decades on Mark Few’s staff at Gonzaga before taking over the Wildcats in 2021. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport.

He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.

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Arizona Wildcats NCAA Basketball Maksim Brnovic Tommy Lloyd College Basketball

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