Arizona's Tommy Lloyd hoping short-term solutions without Godfrey don't turn permanent

Arizona basketball fans may have to wait until the Wildcats arrive in Las Vegas, or even longer, to learn whether RJ Godfrey can play a meaningful role in the team’s season. The uncertainty matters immediately because Godfrey is Arizona’s only true power forward, and coach Tommy Lloyd has spent the preseason preparing for the possibility that the transfer will remain sidelined. For now, Lloyd is considering moving Ivan Kharchenkov into the frontcourt, but he has made clear that he views the arrangement as a temporary answer rather than a dependable long term solution.

Arizona is scheduled to face UCLA on Monday, yet Lloyd said he still had no idea whether Godfrey would receive a ruling in time to play in that game, or whether he would be eligible at any point this season. The Wildcats are expected to take Godfrey and his uniform to Las Vegas in case a favorable decision arrives before tipoff. Even then, Arizona would have to review the ruling internally and determine whether its wording could expose the program to penalties under NCAA rules.

Godfrey’s eligibility dispute has moved through multiple courts and states. He originally won a preliminary injunction through a lawsuit in Georgia, which allowed him to be eligible for the season. The NCAA later obtained a stay of that order, leaving Godfrey unable to play while the appeal remains unresolved. Oral arguments in that appeal are not scheduled until January, so Godfrey joined a separate case in Texas with other athletes facing similar eligibility barriers.

A Texas judge, Ryan Luna, indicated Thursday that athletes who entered the Texas five-for-five case would not receive a preliminary injunction. That development appeared to reduce the chances of an immediate decision for Godfrey, although the legal situation remained unsettled. The Texas Trial Group is arguing that the new plaintiffs had the unilateral right to refile in Texas, and Lloyd said he remained hopeful that any eventual relief could apply to all of the plaintiffs. He cautioned, however, that the process had become difficult to predict.

“I have no idea,” Lloyd said when discussing the case and its possible timing. He also described the situation as one with many separate factors, noting that Godfrey had been the lead plaintiff in the original case and had prevailed there before the NCAA secured the stay. Lloyd said Godfrey’s family had handled the matter properly and praised them as people of high character. He expressed hope that the player would ultimately receive the opportunity he deserves.

The Wildcats have used six exhibition games to test what the lineup might look like without Godfrey. Kharchenkov, a small forward, has moved to power forward while smaller players have filled the perimeter positions. Lloyd has used that setup before, including portions of last season when Koa Peat was unavailable for a loss to Texas Tech and victories at Houston and Baylor. Kharchenkov’s prior experience at the position gives Arizona a workable emergency option, but Lloyd said he does not like it as much over an extended stretch as he does for a short-term adjustment.

Godfrey was expected to provide the kind of physical presence Arizona received from Peat and Tobe Awaka last season. Without him, Lloyd has also looked at 6 foot 10 freshman wing Maksim Brnovic as a possible power forward. Brnovic suffered a concussion during Arizona’s first game on its Lithuanian exhibition tour, but Lloyd said the freshman has shown considerable talent at the position during the team’s three exhibition games at McKale Center. Brnovic is known more for his perimeter abilities, which could give Arizona a different style of play if he is needed in the frontcourt.

Another possible solution has involved playing two centers together. Arizona has tried combinations including Motiejus Krivas with Ugnius Jarusevicius, as well as Jarusevicius with Evan Otten. So far, Lloyd said those pairings have not worked as well as the coaching staff hoped. Freshman center Endi Aiyamenkhue has recently been able to participate more in practices, but he is not yet fully available because of an undisclosed lower body injury. He missed all three of Arizona’s McKale exhibitions and is viewed as a longer-term prospect rather than an immediate replacement for Godfrey.

The uncertainty has left Arizona planning for multiple versions of its roster as the season approaches. Lloyd said he expects decisions in Godfrey’s case at some point, but the direction and timing remain unknown. The coach also expressed confidence that Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark will leave the conference in good condition when he departs at the end of January. Yormark oversaw Arizona’s move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12, and Lloyd said the commissioner understood the value of Arizona basketball. For the Wildcats, though, the more immediate transition concerns whether Godfrey can join the lineup, or whether a short-term workaround will become the team’s reality for much of the season.