Brutally Honest Reason Why Arizona State Could Be Dark Horse To Win Big 12 Basketball Title
The Big 12, known for its strong men’s basketball teams, has seen recent national titles from Kansas and Baylor. Despite losing Texas and Oklahoma to the Southeastern Conference, the conference’s addition of four former Pac-12 teams for the 2024-25 season could potentially enhance its strength.
Under the leadership of Bobby Hurley, Arizona State, along with former Pac-12 teams Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, has moved to the Big 12 this season. There is a possibility that they could emerge as a surprise contender for the league title. With the 10th-year Sun Devils coach, the team is assembling one of the most formidable rosters in its history, bolstered by 247 Sports’ fourth-rated recruiting class.
In late April, it was reported by ESPN that ASU successfully recruited five-star center Jayden Quaintance, a McDonald’s All-American who had initially committed to Kentucky. Following the departure of longtime Kentucky head coach John Calipari to Arkansas, Quaintance reopened his recruitment.
Major commitment on a potential 2026 NBA Draft lottery pick: Jayden Quaintance – a 16-year old ranked as the No. 2 center in ESPN’s Top 100 prospects — will sign with the Arizona State Sun Devils, he tells ESPN. He recently de-committed from Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/5u8D0Vdd9p
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 29, 2024
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound player is ASU’s most highly-rated commitment since Josh Christopher in 2020 and brings much-needed size and physical presence to the team’s offense. Quaintance showcased his abilities by averaging 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds for Team USA throughout six games at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship in 2023.
ASU, which ended last season with a 14-18 record, has also gained the commitment of five-star shooting guard Joson Sanon, who recently changed his commitment from Arizona, as reported by 247 Sports.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 188 pounds, Sanon, ranked 22nd by ESPN, seemed to base his decision on star Arizona guard Caleb Love’s choice to return for another season.
In addition, ESPN 100 prospect Amier Ali and three-star guard Bo Aldridge complete ASU’s highest-rated recruiting class in program history. The Sun Devils were ranked as high as third until four-star power forward Sammie Yeanay announced on Instagram that he was reopening his recruitment.
Hurley has also demonstrated an ability to attract top-quality players from the transfer portal. Ball State transfer forward Basheer Jihad, who led the Cardinals in scoring, rebounding, and blocks in 2023, and Missouri State transfer point guard Alston Mason, the top scorer for the Bears last season, transferred to ASU for their final seasons of eligibility.
Furthermore, transfers BJ Freeman (Milwaukee), Brandon Gardner (Southern Cal), and returning Sun Devil Austin Nunez, collectively, provide Hurley with one of the most extensive benches he has ever had.
Just another day in the office for us 😎 https://t.co/v3HPWiL0Cf
— Bobby Hurley (@BobbyHurley11) May 29, 2024
College basketball offers schools two chances to secure a conference title by either clinching the regular-season championship or triumphing in the conference tournament.
The Sun Devils face a challenging task against esteemed Big 12 teams like Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, and Houston.
Despite this, ASU’s mix of highly skilled players and Hurley’s coaching expertise gained from previous matchups with Pac-12 powerhouses Oregon, UCLA, and Arizona could potentially propel the team into March Madness.