Koa Peat Decision Looms as Tommy Lloyd Juggles Big 12 Meetings

koa peat’s NBA Draft withdrawal deadline approached Wednesday night while Tommy Lloyd was in Texas for the Big 12’s annual spring meetings. Arizona’s coach said the program had been in frequent contact with Peat and his family as it waited to learn whether the forward would return for his sophomore season.

Tommy Lloyd in Texas

Lloyd spent Wednesday juggling conference business and the draft decision. He said, “The timing is never perfect,” and added, “I don’t know, but when they pick the dates for this meeting, they're probably not looking at the withdrawal date.”

He also said, “Obviously we've had a lot of conversations with Koa and his family, and we're going to support whatever decision he ultimately ends up making.”

Koa Peat’s Draft Window

The deadline came with Peat projected as a mid to lower first-round pick. That placed Arizona in the middle of a familiar college-basketball calculation: players with eligibility left can make as much or more by staying in school than by signing an NBA contract tied to the first-round rookie salary scale.

Lloyd said he was checking his phone more often than usual because of the situation. “But you are juggling two things. You're checking your phone a little more often than you would be otherwise,” he said.

Arizona’s Roster Plans

The uncertainty matters because Arizona has to keep its options open if Peat does not return. Lloyd said the Wildcats were supporting whatever choice he made, while still preparing for the possibility of needing a replacement in the roster picture.

He framed the decision as one that belongs to the player. “Obviously, it's the player's race to run, and you have to respect that, but you set a criteria of what's going to help them make their decision, and then ultimately you have to support them,” Lloyd said. “I mean, these aren't easy decisions.”

The coach also linked the issue to a broader college sports conversation in Texas, where he and West Virginia coach Ross Hodge discussed the proposed five-in-five rule. The idea would give athletes a firm five-year window, with unlimited eligibility within a five-year period after high school graduation or a 19th birthday, and no waivers under the hard cap.

Lloyd also said conference topics came up during the meetings, including whether to return to 20 conference games. For Arizona, though, the immediate pressure stayed on Peat’s choice and the roster planning that follows it.