JJ Mandaquit Joins Arizona Wildcats from Washington
Arizona has secured its first transfer portal addition for the 2026-27 season. Former Washington point guard JJ Mandaquit announced Monday he will join Arizona with three years of eligibility left.
Filmogaz.com reported JJ Mandaquit Joins Arizona Wildcats from Washington, marking the program’s opening portal pickup. The move reunites Mandaquit with coach Tommy Lloyd.
Background
Mandaquit is a 6-foot-1 guard and a Hawaii native. He was a former top-100 high school recruit.
He played for Tommy Lloyd on Team USA at the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup. That Team USA squad won gold.
At the tournament he averaged 6.1 points, 5.4 assists and two rebounds per game. The experience displayed his playmaking skill.
Washington season
As a rising sophomore at Washington, Mandaquit averaged 5.2 points, 3.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds. He logged 19.7 minutes per game.
He appeared in 22 games before a season-ending foot injury. Mandaquit scored a career-high 15 points on Jan. 14 in a home loss to Michigan.
He finished with four games of double-figure scoring. 247Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein described him as a throwback point guard.
Finkelstein praised Mandaquit’s reliability, court acumen and winning intangibles. Those traits suggest value beyond scoring.
Role at Arizona
Arizona enters the offseason having lacked a true backup floor general. Mandaquit is expected to provide depth at the point guard position.
He will likely serve as a backup point guard next season. His prior work with Tommy Lloyd could ease the transition to Tucson.
| Competition | Games | Minutes | Points | Assists | Rebounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (last season) | 22 | 19.7 | 5.2 | 3.2 | 2.1 |
| 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup | — | — | 6.1 | 5.4 | 2.0 |
Arizona gains a low-turnover floor general with proven international experience. Fans will watch how quickly he carves out a role in Tucson.
