The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats picked up Australian wing Anthony Dell'Orso of Campbell on Tuesday, giving themselves at least a key reserve for 2024-25 and a potential starter in case any of their NBA-draft-testing players do not return.
 did not announce his decision but reposted a tweet from ESPN's  about it and updated his social media bios to read that he wears No. 30 for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Dell'Orso had announced on April 9 that he would test the NBA Draft while entering the transfer portal.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ now has five players who have declared for the NBA Draft while keeping open the option of returning to college basketball, including guards Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis from its roster last season.
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Love, who has been invited to the G League Elite Camp this weekend in Chicago, appears the most likely to stay in the draft. Bradley was not invited to either the NBA Combine nor the G League Elite Camp while Lewis turned down an invitation to play in the G League camp.
If the Wildcats lose Love or another guard, Dell'Orso has the sort of mid-major credentials that suggest he will compete for a starting job.Â
Last season, Dell'Orso earned second-team all-Coastal Athletic Association honors when he averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 49.2% overall and 38.0% from 3-point range.
Though he played mostly against mid- and low-major competition, Dell'Orso was an efficient scorer who also drew 5.1 fouls per 40 minutes -- and hit free throws at an 80.6% rate. In addition, he ranked among the top 400 players nationally with a defensive rebounding percentage of 17.8.
After arriving from Melbourne in 2022, Dell'Orso was named the Big South Freshman of the Year at Campbell while leading the league's freshmen in scoring (12.5), rebounding (5.8) and free-throw percentage (83.2).
The move to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and the Big 12 will be Dell'Orso's third move to a tougher college conference, since Campbell moved from the low-major Big South to the mid-major CAA before last season.
Campbell also produced wing Cedric Henderson, who joined the Wildcats in 2022-23 after spending three seasons with the Camels. Henderson did not play with Dell'Orso, who was a freshman in 2022-23, but liked Dell'Orso's Instagram announcement that he was entering the transfer portal and NBA Draft.
Dell'Orso's commitment gives the Wildcats a full complement of 13 scholarship players for next season, if their draft-testing players return and if high school junior Joson Sanon reclassifies in order join the Wildcats next season.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ filled out its post rotation by acquiring Oakland forward Trey Thompson and Tennessee center Tobe Awaka last month. The Wildcats now have several potential key contributors on the wing, including Love, Lewis, Dell'Orso, Sonon and incoming freshman Jamari Phillips.
In addition, Thompson and freshman Carter Bryant have played both forward spots. Bradley is expected to take over as UA's starting point guard.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s 2024-25 roster to date:
Player, Class, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown
Tobe Awaka, Jr., F, 6-8, 250, Hyde Park, N.Y.
*Jaden Bradley, Jr., G, 6-3, 200, Rochester, N.Y.
Carter Bryant, Fr,. F, 6-8, 225, Riverside, Calif.
*Anthony Dell’Orso, Jr., F, 6-6, 190 Melbourne, Australia
Motiejus Krivas, So., C, 7-2, 260, Siauliai, Lithuania
*KJ Lewis, So., G, 6-4, 205, El Paso
*Caleb Love, Sr,. G, 6-4,205, St. Louis
Conrad Martinez, So., G, 6-0, 165, Granollers, Spain
Jamari Phillips, Fr,. G, 6-3, 190, Stockton, Calif.
**Joson Sanon, Fr., G, 6-5, 190, Fall River, Mass.
Emmanuel Stephen, Fr,. C, 7-0, 215, Lagos, Nigeria
*Trey Townsend, Sr., F, 6-6, 228 Oxford, Mich.
Henri Veesaar, Jr., F, 7-0, 225, Tallinn, Estonia
* Entered the NBA Draft while keeping open the option of returning to college basketball.
** Member of the 2025 high school graduating class, but has committed to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ with the intention of reclassifying in order to join the Wildcats in 2024-25.
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe