Sidi Gueye of Arizona Wildcats in San Jose, California

Sidi Gueye, a freshman forward for the Arizona Wildcats, has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Gueye is the first player to depart from the team’s 2025-26 roster who was not already out of eligibility following a season in which the program reached the Final Four.

The news of Gueye’s departure follows a historic campaign for Arizona, which finished the season with a 36-3 record. The Wildcats secured both the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, suffering only two losses within conference play to Kansas and Texas Tech. The team’s season concluded with a loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the Final Four held in Indianapolis.

Season Performance and Role

During his freshman year, the 6-foot-10 Gueye appeared in 26 games, primarily serving as a reserve. He averaged 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds while playing 3.5 minutes per game. Over the course of the season, Gueye recorded eight blocked shots and shot 13 of 18 from the field.

While much of his playing time occurred during mop-up duty, Gueye saw an increase in action during the absence of teammate Koa Peat. In a game against BYU, Gueye recorded a career-high 10 minutes of play, contributing 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Gueye was part of the No. 2 ranked recruiting class in college basketball and was recruited to the program by head coach Tommy Lloyd and his staff from Senegal.

Professional Background and Recruitment

Before committing to the Arizona Wildcats on April 30, 2025, Gueye developed his skills within the Real Madrid youth system in Spain. He joined the club in the summer of 2021 at the age of 13, starting with the U15 team, known as Cadete B.

Gueye transitioned into adult basketball on October 22, 2022, making his debut for Real Madrid’s B team in the fourth-tier EBA league. During the 2023-24 season, he played primarily for the B team, where he averaged 8.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.2 blocks across 23 appearances. He was also a member of the A-youth squad, Juvenil A.

His time with Real Madrid included several high-level achievements, including winning the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament in 2024 and becoming a Liga ACB champion in 2025. Gueye made his professional debut for the Real Madrid senior team on October 20, 2024, in a game against Bàsquet Girona, followed by his first EuroLeague appearance against Crvena zvezda on October 24, 2024.

Arizona Frontcourt Outlook

Gueye’s departure creates a shift in the Wildcats’ frontcourt depth for the 2026-27 season. His potential role as a sophomore was expected to depend largely on the decisions of other key big men on the roster.

Center Motiejus Krivas has yet to determine whether he will return for his senior season or declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. Star freshman Koa Peat is expected to declare for the draft. Peat finished the season averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

The Wildcats’ remaining frontcourt options include Mabil Mawut, a 6-foot-11 center who redshirted during the 2025-26 season.