Motiejus Krivas, a center for Arizona, has shown flashes of potential to become one of the best big men in college basketball. He played in all 36 games off the bench last season and is now poised to step into a more prominent role for the Wildcats with the departure of starting center Oumar Ballo to the transfer portal. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has identified Krivas as an under-the-radar prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Krivas, who stands at nearly 7-foot-3, has exceptional hands, long arms, high skill level, and impressive instincts on both ends of the floor. He averaged 12.1 minutes per game during his freshman season with Arizona and decided not to enter the 2024 NBA Draft, instead returning to Arizona for another season. On the other hand, Ballo transferred to Indiana and started all 36 games for Arizona, averaging 25.9 minutes per game and putting up impressive numbers across several categories.
During his time with Zalgiris II pro team in Lithuania, Krivas led the league in rebounding and blocks while being named the league’s best defender. His experiences have helped shape his development as a player as he looks towards a promising future in basketball. Krivas is expected to be a productive rebounder and interior scorer for Arizona next season while focusing on improving his defensive capabilities and overall athleticism to gauge his draft stock for 2025.
