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While Lloyd was there, Gonzaga brought players from every continent except Antarctica.
He didn’t count exactly how many countries he visited, but he estimates at least 50. Her favorite international trip was Crete for the 2019 World School Championships. He was able to take his family, including son Liam and daughters Sofia and Maria, who played at Grand Canyon University this season.
Yet his hardest journey came during a trip to Paris when Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010.
“I was stuck there for a week,” he said. “There were a lot of flight cancellations, crowded trains, rental cars, and we survived. There are a few players on that trip.”
Lloyd said that while it has perverted many business perceptions over the years, the Arizona fit is natural—especially since the Wildcats’ roster is already packed with international players. He inherited six people recruited by Miller: Mathurin, Koloko, Kriisa, Pelle Larsson from Sweden (who speaks Swedish and English), and the Tubelis brothers. Ballo followed Lloyd from Gonzaga to Arizona, and the coach imported Adama Honey from France. He is fluent in French, English and Wolof.
Lloyd was familiar with the ruins in Arizona and credits him for helping to keep them.
“That’s the one thing people don’t talk about in college basketball today,” Lloyd said. “Especially last year was the first year you got a job, everyone is a free agent. Anyone can transfer and play immediately. No waiver is required. You really had to go in and rehire.”
Familiar with Lloyd’s work, no full-court press was needed to keep Mathurin on the team.
“I watched a lot of games while I was at Gonzaga and it’s just the players he brought with his program and the style of play he played,” said Mathurin. I think it suits me and the international players in my team very well.”
Azuolas Tubelis said: “It was easy for me because he is easy to understand and he understands me. So we’re on the same page every time.”
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