Arizona star shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin announced Wednesday that he is declaring for the NBA Draft after a standout sophomore season with the Wildcats. Mathurin is regarded as a potential lottery pick after earning CBS Sports Third-Team All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year honors while leading Arizona to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The former four-star prospect enjoyed a solid freshman season in 2020-21 under former Arizona coach Sean Miller, but he truly exploded onto the national scene as a sophomore under coach Tommy Lloyd. Mathurin averaged 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range. He also dished out 2.5 assists per game for a team that ranked first nationally in assists per game.

While Arizona's season ended in disappointing fashion with a loss to Houston in the Sweet 16, it was a tremendously successful debut campaign for Lloyd and Mathurin played a key role in getting the Wildcats back to national prominence. He reached double figures in 30 of Arizona's final 31 games and was named MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament.

Bennedict Mathurin's NBA Draft projection

At 6-foot-7, Mathurin proved to be a difficult matchup for college opponents. His ability to attack off the dribble and rise above defenders for quality looks made him a tough defensive assignment for opponents and should make him a quality offensive weapon in the NBA. Mathurin is ranked No. 10 on Kyle Boone's NBA Draft Big Board and projected at No. 9 overall to the Pelicans in Boone's latest mock draft.

"Some NBA team in the lottery will happily scoop him up as a high-end shooter with good size and defensive upside," Boone wrote.

Impact on Arizona

Depending on who else leaves to pursue professional opportunities, Lloyd could have some significant holes to fill with his second roster. Mathurin led the team in scoring during the 2021-22 season and won't be easy to replace. Players with Mathurin's combination of size, athleticism and offensive skill don't come around often.

In the long run, though, Mathurin's rapid development into a superstar under Lloyd should do wonders for the Wildcats in recruiting high school prospects and transfers. When Lloyd arrived after two decades on Gonzaga's staff, there was skepticism over whether a longtime WCC assistant would have the chops to run one of the Pac-12's historical powers. But Lloyd seamlessly implemented a fun and effective offensive system in his first season. Mathurin's progression into a potential lottery pick within that system is a great selling point for Lloyd.

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