*Story updated on May 20, 2021*
The last time Arizona State took the court was on Mar. 11 -- in a 91-73 loss to Oregon in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament.
The loss capped off a particularly frustrating season for head coach Bobby Hurley, whose team dealt with COVID-related issues, injuries, personal setbacks, and perhaps most significantly, a lack of chemistry on the floor.
The Sun Devils, who opened the season ranked in the AP Top-25 for the first time since 2008, fell woefully short of the preseason expectations.
ASU finished the 2020-21 season with an 11-14 record overall and a ninth-place finish in the Pac-12 standings, which prompted Hurley to make a vow to himself.
“My goal is to never go through a season like this again,” he told reporters last month.
Since the season concluded, Hurley has been hard at work reshaping the Sun Devil roster in his quest to achieve that goal.
This offseason, Hurley’s living room was transformed into a makeshift war room -- with a large whiteboard listing all the departures, additions, and potential transfer targets. Needless to say, the construction of ASU’s 2021-22 roster was constantly on his mind.
In a matter of just two months, Hurley has completely revamped the Sun Devil roster, virtually eliminating any remnants of last year’s squad and replacing it with an entirely new cast of characters.
For those of you keeping score at home, let’s give a quick recap:
ASU lost two players to graduation and/or the NBA in Alonzo Verge and Josh Christopher.
Six more players – Taeshon Cherry, Jaelen House, Holland Woods, Chris Osten, Pavlo Dziuba, and Caleb Christopher – transferred out of the program.
And two others -- Marcus Bagley and Remy Martin -- are somewhere in between.
Both Bagley and Martin have publicly stated their focus is on going thru the NBA Draft process, but neither has ruled out the possibility of returning to college next season. If they do return to college, however, it will not be at ASU.
Martin recently committed to Kansas as a fallback option in case he doesn’t get the feedback he’s looking for (from NBA executives). Bagley, meanwhile, is still in the transfer portal.
So, that’s ten (yes, ten!) departures from last year’s squad.
In its place, Hurley has added five transfers and a six-man recruiting class, which is currently ranked in the top-25 by Rivals.
With today’s announcement that JUCO standout Alonzo Gaffney has verbally committed to ASU (he is not yet officially signed), it appears the Sun Devil roster is set for next season.
With that being said, let’s take a look at ASU’s 2021-22 roster as it currently stands:
(Note: Kimani Lawrence does NOT apply toward the 13-man scholarship count since he’s exercising his extra year of eligibility, which was granted by the NCAA to all student-athletes due to the pandemic.)
Returning Players (2)
Jalen Graham, F/C, 6-9, Jr.
Always known for his instinctive shot-blocking ability, the bouncy 6-foot-9 forward expanded his offensive game last season, and developed into one of the better all-around post players in the Pac-12. Graham’s emergence was one of the few positive storylines in an otherwise disappointing season for the Sun Devils. Graham was unexpectedly thrust into a starting role after Romello White’s departure from the program, but still had a productive sophomore campaign. After an early-season slump and a case of mono (which sidelined him for a few weeks), Graham was one of ASU’s most consistent players down the stretch. Over the last 14 games, he averaged 9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds, while shooting almost 56 percent from the field. Graham is expected to be an integral part of ASU’s lineup next season, and assume more of a leadership role as well.
Kimani Lawrence, F, 6-8, R-Sr.
Lawrence announced last month that he would return to Tempe for a fifth season, becoming the first Sun Devil player to take advantage of the NCAA’s ruling offering student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic. Lawrence, who has been the consummate “glue guy” throughout his ASU career, played his best basketball as a collegiate during the last month of the season. The versatile combo forward averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in the final nine games, including a 21-point, 20-rebound performance against Washington. It marked the first 20-20 game by a Sun Devil player since Mike Batiste accomplished the feat in 1997. Hurley will lean heavily on the fifth-year senior, who will be the most veteran player on next year’s squad.
Incoming Transfers (5)
AJ Bramah, F, 6-7, R-Sr.
Bramah was the first transfer to commit to ASU this offseason – Jay Heath, Marreon Jackson and DJ Horne eventually followed suit. Bramah began his collegiate career in the JUCO ranks, playing two seasons for Sheridan College (Wyo.) before transferring to Robert Morris, where he was a two-year standout for the Colonials. The versatile combo forward averaged 13.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 season en route to earning all-conference honors.
Last season, Bramah was even more productive, averaging 21 points and 10.3 rebounds (in 12 games played). Similar to Lawrence, Bramah is taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic. The fifth-year senior is expected to add versatility, energy and rebounding to ASU’s frontcourt next year – which will be his lone season in Tempe. He is currently ranked no. 78 in ESPN’s transfer rankings.
Jay Heath, G, 6-3, Jr.
Heath went largely unnoticed the past two seasons playing for a struggling Boston College program. However, the 6-foot-3 guard was one of the top available scorers in the transfer portal before ASU secured his commitment in late March. He led BC in scoring (and finished 12th in the ACC) with 14.5 points per game this past season, while shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc. Ranked no. 72 in ESPN’s transfer rankings, Heath is expected to play a major role for the Sun Devils next season.
He is capable of putting up big numbers, and had five games of 20-plus points this past season -- including a 28-point performance against Florida State. Although Heath can play both guard positions, he’s probably better suited to play off the ball, and should pair nicely in the backcourt with fellow transfer Marreon Jackson.
DJ Horne, G, 6-1, Jr.
After two productive seasons at Illinois State, the 6-foot-1 combo guard is leveling up and bringing his talents to the Pac-12 Conference. Lightly recruited out of high school, Horne instantly found success with the Redbirds. In 2019-20, he averaged 8.7 points and 3.1 rebounds and was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team. Last season, he averaged 15.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists en route to earning All-MVC honors. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Horne’s game is his efficiency. Over the course of his career, he has shot almost 45 percent from the field (very good for a guard), 41 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent from the free-throw line. Horne should factor prominently into ASU’s rotation next season, and will likely be one of the first players off the Sun Devils’ bench.
Marreon Jackson, PG, 6-1, R-Sr.
Hurley may have struck gold with the addition of Jackson, who is the most accomplished of ASU’s newcomers. The Toledo transfer was the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year this past season after averaging 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. After a successful four-year stint in Toledo, which included being named to the All-MAC team twice, Jackson elected to exercise his extra year of eligibility this upcoming season.
He will be given the task of replacing Remy Martin, who exits the Sun Devil program as one of its most celebrated players. Jackson, however, should be up to the challenge. Ranked no. 10 in ESPN’s transfer rankings, the crafty point guard is expected to set the tone for ASU on both ends of the floor next season.
Luther Muhammad, SG, 6-3, R-Jr.
Lost in the flurry of moves this offseason is the addition of Muhammad, who actually joined ASU last spring. The Ohio State transfer sat out this past season with a shoulder injury, but is completely healthy now, and expected to make a major impact next season. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard was a two-year starter for the Buckeyes before deciding to leave the program last April. Muhammad is a capable scorer, but his greatest value comes at the other end of the floor, where he was one of the top defensive guards in the Big Ten during his time in Columbus. Hurley has hinted that rebounding and defense will be priorities for ASU next season -- and the former top-75 recruit could play an integral part in changing the identity of the Sun Devils in 2021-22.
Incoming Recruits (6)
Enoch Boakye, C, 6-10, Fr.
The talented five-star post player from Canada was recently elevated to five-star status in Rivals’ final rankings for the 2021 class. Boakye is the most highly-touted big man to commit to ASU in the recruiting-service era, and is expected to make an immediate impact next season. Originally a member of the 2022 class, Boakye committed to ASU in late March and decided to reclassify to the 2021 class. At 6-foot-10 and 255 pounds, he adds much-needed size to the Sun Devil frontcourt. His offensive game is developing, and at this point in his career, he is further along on the defensive end of the floor. As a result, he should instantly provide rebounding and rim protection -- two areas of concern for ASU last season. Despite Boakye’s oozing talent and athleticism, the characteristics that impress Hurley the most are his humility and work ethic, which should earn him a prominent role in the Sun Devil rotation.
Will Felton, F/C, 6-9, Fr.
Felton, who signed last November, may not be overly athletic or explosive, but he is very skilled and has a good feel for the game. The three-star prospect, who is ranked by Rivals as the no. 30 power forward in the 2021 class, is a solid two-way player who does most of his damage from the low block. Known for his motor and rugged style of play, the 6-foot-9 post player has a game similar to former ASU standout Romello White. However, with a logjam expected in the frontcourt next season, playing time may be difficult to come by for the North Carolina native. At a minimum, however, Felton should provide quality depth on ASU’s bench.
Alonzo Gaffney, F, 6-9, Redshirt Sophomore.
ASU’s newest addition is Gaffney, who played this past season at Northwest Florida (JUCO). In 21 games, he averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds as a sophomore. A consensus top-75 recruit coming out of high school, Gaffney started his career at Ohio State, where he played sparingly as a freshman. At 6-foot-9, he has an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and length. Capable of playing either forward spot, Gaffney will likely see more action at small forward, which is his natural position. Once considered an NBA prospect by some scouts, he has a golden opportunity to jump-start his career in Tempe, where minutes could be readily available next season. Gaffney will be reunited with Luther Muhammad, who was also a member of Ohio State’s 2019-20 squad.
Jamiya Neal, G/F, 6-6, Fr.
The three-star prospect, who is ranked by Rivals as the no. 40 small forward in the 2021 class, could be the sleeper of ASU’s incoming freshmen class. A 6-foot-6 wing with freakish athleticism, Neal is an exciting two-way player who thrives in transition and has a reputation of being one of the best dunkers in high school. He grew up in Ohio, but moved to the valley last summer to attend his final year of high school at the prestigious Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix. With so much talent and depth in ASU’s backcourt, there won’t be much pressure for Neal to contribute right away, but he has the physical tools and defense instincts to be a surprise factor next season.
Justin Rochelin, SG, 6-5, Fr.
The three-star prospect, who signed with ASU last fall, is another solid addition to the incoming freshmen class. A sturdy 6-foot-5 wing with a college-ready body and all-around game, Rochelin was a standout player at Northridge (Calif.) Heritage Christian this past season. He has a reputation of being a good outside shooter and rebounds well for his position. Although he does not excel in any one particular area, there are also no glaring holes in his game either. It may be difficult for Rochelin to crack the rotation as a true freshman, but he does appear a formidbale building block for the future.
Demari Williams, SG, 6-6, Fr.
One newcomer to keep an eye on is Williams, a three-star prospect who is ranked by Rivals as the no. 50 shooting guard in the 2021 class. ASU prioritized the 6-foot-6 wing early in his recruitment, and secured a commitment from him last fall. The Texas native became familiar with the Sun Devil program after moving to the valley last summer to attend Glendale Dream City Christian for his senior year of high school. Known as a good ball handler and passer, Williams could be an intriguing weapon for ASU next season. The incoming freshman also has a reported 6-foot-11 wingspan, which should help him on the defensive end of the floor. With his length and versatility, don’t be surprised to see Williams crack the rotation next season.
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