RELATED LINK: Even if Derrick Williams leaves early, history shows the Wildcats can carry on

So what will happen if Derrick Williams leaves Arizona before his junior season and is chosen among the first five picks of the NBA draft in June? What will life be like at McKale Center in Year One of the post-Williams era? Is this the end of the world as we know it?

Will Arizona be Arizona without Derrick Williams next season if he goes to the NBA? (US Presswire photo/Gary A. Vasquez)

History tells us that Arizona will continue to have a heartbeat without Williams. In fact, the old ticker will continue to beat at a good rate.

This is how the Wildcats have fared after one of their stars was chosen among the first 10 picks of the NBA draft:

• 1979: Larry Demic, Sr. (9th pick). UA year later in 1979-80: 12-15
• 1989: Sean Elliott, Sr. (3rd pick). UA year later in 1989-90: 25-7
• 1991: Brian Williams, Jr. (10th pick). UA year later in 1991-92: 24-7
• 1995: Damon Stoudamire, Sr. (7th pick). UA year later in 1995-96: 27-6 (Sweet 16)
• 1998: Mike Bibby, Soph. (2nd pick). UA year later in 1998-99: 22-6
• 1999: Jason Terry, Sr. (10th pick). UA year later in 1999-2000: 27-7
• 2004: Andre Iguodala, Soph. (9th pick). UA year later in 2004-05: 30-7 (Elite Eight)
• 2005: Channing Frye, Sr. (8th pick). UA year later in 2005-06: 20-13
• 2009: Jordan Hill, Jr. (8th pick). UA year later in 2009-10: 16-15

That’s only one losing season after Demic’s departure when Fred Snowden was in the last stages of his coaching career. The other unimpressive mark is the 16-15 record after Hill left to the NBA after his junior season. That was Sean Miller‘s first season at Arizona. The transition after two interim coaches following Lute Olson‘s retirement was not easy.

Overall, in the season after these nine players departed (four of them prematurely), the UA posted a record of 213-83. That’s a winning percentage of 71.9. That’s also an average of 23.6 wins the season after the Wildcats were required to fill a significant void.

The combined 213-83 mark is only 14 games worse than the the record — 227-69 — of the season in which these nine players completed their Wildcat careers. That averages to only about 1.6 more losses in the season after a top 10 NBA draft pick departs Arizona.

The most significant dropoff is the amount of Sweet 16 and Elite Eight appearances. The Wildcats achieved a Sweet 16 (1995-96) and Elite Eight (2004-05) appearance in seasons after a high draft choice was taken. They achieved two Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights in the year these standouts completed their career.

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Arizona's Class of 2011 point guard recruit Josiah Turner is ready to shine at the next level, according to his high school coach (Turner photo)

Before the Masters hits Augusta, Ga., on April 7, Arizona Class of 2011 signee Josiah Turner turned in a green-jacket performance on the basketball court there Saturday.

Turner, a 6-3 point guard who signed with Arizona last November, was selected the MVP of the Inaugural Converse Mo-Mentorship All-Star Classic at Lakeside High School in Augusta. Turner scored 26 points with 13 assists and two steals, leading the Red team over the White 148-117.

The game featured 14 recruits who have signed with Division I teams, including Turner’s Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy teammate Sir Dominique Pointer, a forward who is headed for St. John’s.

QEA coach Isaac Pitts Jr. coached the Red team Saturday and mentioned to me that Turner “showed why he is a top 10 player of his class.” Turner is rated the No. 10 prospect of the Class of 2011 by Rivals.com.

He is the highest rated recruit signed by Sean Miller in his seven years as a head coach.

“Josiah did what he does best, distribute the ball and take good shots,” Pitts said. “It was an all-star game, so it was pretty wide open, and that’s where Josiah is nearly unstoppable.

“He can get his assists as well as anybody. It was an impressive display.”

Turner has one more high school all-star event to compete in — the All-American Championship in Houston on April 3 — but Pitts said his star guard is ready for the next level.

“You’re talking about one of the top 10 players in his class,” he said. “I’m not really sure what else he has to work on. He’s proven himself quite well to this point.

“Coach Miller, I am sure, has some things in mind to have Josiah work on once he gets there, but in my opinion, he’s ready.”

Pitts will coach Turner and Pointer with the South team in the All-American Championship at the M.O. Campbell Center. The game will be played on the Sunday between the Final Four on Saturday and championship game on Monday in Houston.

Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy coach Isaac Pitts Jr. described to me over the weekend how his new star player Josiah Turner immediately fit in with his band of Division I prospects.

Pitts told me in a GOAZCATS.com interview that he put the vote to QEA’s team about whether to accept Turner, a 6-foot-3 point guard who is a 5-star Rivals.com prospect headed to Arizona. Turner was in the process of applying to QEA after seeking to transfer from Sacramento High School, where its coach Derek Swafford dismissed the prospect from the team for missing a game unannounced while deciding his future.

“I was the last guy on the totem pole getting Josiah in here,” Pitts said. “Our guys accepted the idea of bringing Josiah into the program. We already had a great team with plenty of Division I talent, but they were excited about what Josiah could bring to our team.”

Perhaps the most thrilled, believe it or not, was senior point guard Anthony Fields, who has verbally committed to Wake Forest. Fields realized his playing time would be affected, and that his stats would decrease a bit, but he was concerned more about winning a championship, according to Pitts.

As a stroke of genius, Pitts paired Fields and Turner as roommates. That helped Turner and Fields understand each other and it helped create a bond.

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