About this time 36 years ago, the legendary Steve Kerr was Lute Olson’s point guard leading Arizona’s first team to reach No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll.
Arizona is at that spot once again after a 10-year hiatus with Kylan Boswell leading Tommy Lloyd’s execution at the point.
It was revealed Monday that the Wildcats (7-0) are ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 Poll receiving 59 of the 63 potential first-place votes.
The point guards who were part of Arizona No. 1-ranked teams include Kerr, Kenny Lofton (1988-89), Mike Bibby (1997-98), Jason Gardner (1999-2000 and 2002-03), TJ McConnell (2013-14) and Boswell.
The top-ranked teams also featured All-Americans such as Sean Elliott in 1987-88 and 1988-89, Bibby and Miles Simon in 1997-98, Gardner in 2002-03, and Nick Johnson in 2013-14.
Look at the quality backcourts of the teams that have reached No. 1:
1987-88: Kerr and Craig McMillan
1988-89: Lofton and Muehlebach
1997-98: Bibby and Simon
1999-2000: Gardner and Gilbert Arenas
2002-03: Gardner and Salim Stoudamire
2013-14: McConnell and Johnson
2023-24: Boswell and Caleb Love
This year’s team needs to be ranked another 13 weeks to have the distinction of being No. 1 longest.
The 2002-03 was No. 1 for 13 weeks. That team that included Gardner, Stoudamire, Luke Walton, Rick Anderson, Channing Frye, Andre Iguodala and Hassan Adams.
Gardner is now Arizona’s player relations director for Lloyd.
The point guard from Indianapolis experienced No. 1 when he was a freshman and a senior … and now as a staff member.
HISTORY OF ARIZONA AT NO. 1
Seasons that Arizona was ranked No. 1 with number weeks at No. 1, top rotation (players who averaged more than 10 minutes per game) and the head coach.| Season | Wks | Rotation | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-1988 | 6 | G Steve Kerr | Lute Olson |
| G Craig McMillan | Finish | ||
| F Sean Elliott | 35-3 | ||
| F Anthony Cook | Final Four | ||
| F Tom Tolbert | |||
| G Kenny Lofton | |||
| F Joe Turner | |||
| F Jud Buechler | |||
| 1988-1989 | 3 | G Kenny Lofton | Lute Olson |
| G Matt Muehlebach | Finish | ||
| F Sean Elliott | 29-4 | ||
| F Anthony Cook | Sweet 16 | ||
| F Jud Buechler | |||
| C Sean Rooks | |||
| G Harvey Mason | |||
| G Matt Othick | |||
| 1997-1998 | 3 | G Mike Bibby | Lute Olson |
| G Miles Simon | Finish | ||
| F Michael Dickerson | 30-5 | ||
| F Bennett Davison | Elite 8 | ||
| C AJ Bramlett | |||
| G Jason Terry | |||
| F Eugene Edgerson | |||
| F Donnell Harris | |||
| 1999-2000 | 3 | G Jason Gardner | Lute Olson |
| G Gilbert Arenas | Finish | ||
| F Michael Wright | 27-7 | ||
| F Luke Walton | 2nd Round | ||
| C Loren Woods | |||
| F Richard Jefferson | |||
| F Justin Wessel | |||
| F Rick Anderson | |||
| G Lamont Frazier | |||
| 2002-2003 | 13 | G Jason Gardner | Lute Olson |
| G Salim Stoudamire | Finish | ||
| F Luke Walton | 28-4 | ||
| F Rick Anderson | Elite 8 | ||
| C Channing Frye | |||
| G Andre Iguodala | |||
| G Hassan Adams | |||
| F Isaiah Fox | |||
| 2013-2014 | 8 | G TJ McConnell | Sean Miller |
| G Nick Johnson | Finish | ||
| F Aaron Gordon | 33-5 | ||
| F Brandon Ashley | Elite 8 | ||
| C Kaleb Tarczewski | |||
| F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
| G Gabe York | |||
| 2023-2024 | 1 | G Kylan Boswell | Tommy Lloyd |
| G Caleb Love | Current | ||
| F Keshad Johnson | 7-0 | ||
| F Pelle Larsson | |||
| C Oumar Ballo | |||
| G Jaden Bradley | |||
| G KJ Lewis | |||
| C Motiejus Krivas | |||
| F Paulius Murauskas | |||
| F Filip Borvicanin |
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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