An early look at ASU’s 2024-25 Basketball Roster

When the 2024-25 season tips off in November, Arizona State will look dramatically different than last year’s squad, which posted a 14-18 record and finished ninth in the Pac-12 standings.

The Sun Devils’ disappointing season ended with a 90-57 loss to Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. The lopsided loss signaled a low point for ASU’s basketball program, which has experienced its fair share of ups and downs during the Bobby Hurley era.

“This is not acceptable for what my vision is for our basketball program,” Hurley said in the postgame press conference. “We’re not in a good place right now, and it’s a terrible way to end [the season]. We have to get back to the drawing board.”

Hurley, who is heading into this tenth season as ASU’s head coach, practically had to overhaul the entire Sun Devil roster.

ASU lost ten scholarship players from last year’s team—either to graduation or the transfer portal—including starters Frankie Collins (transferred to TCU), Jamiya Neal (Creighton), and Jose Perez (turned pro).

Armed with a renewed vigor and a revamped approach toward NIL, Hurley attacked this offseason with a clear goal: To rebuild his roster as quickly as possible while significantly upgrading the talent level.

“I’ve always been a purist about the game, especially the collegiate model, but it’s a different world, and you have to adapt,” Hurley explained in a recent media session. “I tried to come out of my comfort zone and ask for more assistance from our key donors, and people have really stepped up in support of our [NIL] collective. It’s enabled us to have the opportunity to bring in some guys that are really prepared to compete in the Big 12 this year.”

Needless to say, elevating the team’s overall skill set was a necessity, but Hurley said he specifically concentrated on increasing his squad’s physicality and agility, especially as it prepares for its inaugural season in the Big 12, which is widely considered the best basketball conference in the country.

“It’s a league for grown-ass men,” Hurley stated.

Among the newcomers are a trio of freshmen, which make up the No. 8 recruiting class in the country, according to Rivals. The class includes four-star prospects Joson Sanon and Amier Ali, as well as five-star prospect Jayden Quaintance, who arrives in Tempe as the highest-ranked recruit in program history (No. 8 overall in the 2024 class).

“My goal this year was to bring in three freshmen, and I have a really strong feeling they are going to be impact players,” Hurley added.

In addition to the highly touted freshmen, ASU signed a formidable transfer class that includes BJ Freeman (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Basheer Jihad (Ball State), and Alston Mason (Missouri State), who were all-conference selections at their respective schools last season.

The incoming transfer class also includes former four-star recruits Brandon Gardner and Austin Nunez, the latter of whom signed with the Sun Devils out of high school and is coming back to Tempe after spending a year at Ole Miss.

“We’ve brought in a lot of [transfers] that have been the top player of their team,” Hurley remarked. “So, there’s going to be an adjustment to playing with other really good players, but I have confidence in what I’m seeing in terms of their ability to share the ball.”

Following these personnel moves, ASU’s roster currently has 12 scholarship players. The Sun Devils could technically add one more scholarship player, but at this juncture, it seems unlikely they will do so.

Let’s take a deeper look at ASU’s 2024-25 roster as it currently stands:

Returning Players

Returning Players

Adam Miller | Guard | 6-3 | Redshirt Senior

Miller was one of the few bright spots for the Sun Devils last season. Like many undergraduate athletes who were multi-team transfers, he was initially ruled ineligible by the NCAA to start the season. However, a judge’s ruling in mid-December granted Miller—and other athletes in his situation—immediate eligibility. Once he was in the lineup, the 6-foot-3 shooting guard proved to be a steadying presence in ASU’s backcourt.

Miller, a solid two-way player, started 21 games for the Sun Devils and averaged 12 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. His shooting splits (39/30/82) weren’t eye-popping, but they should improve with a better cast of characters around him. One thing is for certain: The Sun Devils will lean heavily on the redshirt senior for his scoring and leadership next season. “Adam was a winner for most of his career, and he didn’t like going through last season,” Hurley stated. “So, he’s excited to see the talent that we’ve added to the roster.”

Shawn Phillips Jr. | Center | 7-0 | Junior

Phillips was a top-60 prospect coming out of high school who rarely saw the floor as a true freshman at LSU. He transferred to ASU last year for his sophomore season and instantly earned a spot in the rotation. The imposing 7-footer had an up-and-down season but showed flashes of his potential. In only 14 minutes per game, Phillips averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in a campaign that was abbreviated due to injury. At this stage of his career, he is a bit raw on the offensive end of the floor, yet he proved to be a strong rebounder and rim protector last season. Phillips, who will only be 20 years old next season, has a great deal of upside and should give the Sun Devils quality depth at the center spot in 2024-25. “Shawn is still very young to the game,” Hurley explained. “So, we just have to be patient with his development, but he’s going to continue to take steps.”

Brycen Long | Guard | 6-2 | Grad

After a three-year stint at Houston Christian, Long transferred to ASU last year for his senior season. The coaching staff was hopeful the 6-foot-2 guard, who averaged 14.8 points per game in 2022-23, could provide some scoring punch off the bench, namely from 3-point range. Unfortunately, Long was limited to only eight games last season due to a seizure he suffered in late December. He was cleared to return to action and has reportedly been doing well in summer workouts.

The local Gilbert native is known for his outside shooting and was nearly automatic from 3-point range last season. In his first meaningful game of the year, an 89-84 loss in San Diego, Long was a perfect 4-4 from long range and overall was 7-9 on his 3-point attempt attempt). For his career, Long is a 40 percent shooter from beyond the arc and, at a minimum, should provide effective spacing in ASU’s half-court offense. Nonetheless, on a much deeper roster this year, it may be difficult for the veteran guard to find a good number of minutes on game day.

Bobby Hurley Jr. | Guard | 6-1 | Senior

After spending the last three seasons as a walk-on, it was recently announced the head coach’s son would be on scholarship next season. It’s a well-deserved honor for the younger Hurley, who graduated (in only three years) and earned his journalism degree this past spring.

Hurley has a reputation for being a great teammate, and with so much turnover in the program, the coaching staff will rely on the senior to set the tone in the locker room. “I told the players this guy has been here longer than anybody,” Bobby Hurley said. “He’s worked as hard as anybody in the program. He’s seen what an NCAA Tournament team looks like here, so he knows what it takes, and he’s going to be a great leader. He’s going to do all the things we need a scholarship player to do.”

Incoming Transfers

BJ Freeman| Guard-Forward | 6-6 | Senior

The addition of Freeman makes perfect sense for ASU, who struggled to score last season. (Averaged only 69 points per game). The 6-foot-6 wing started his career in the junior college ranks but played the past two seasons at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he was a bona fide scoring machine.

After averaging 18.2 points as a sophomore, he notably improved that mark to 21.1 this past season, which ranked first in the Horizon League -- and 17th nationally. That being said, the two-time all-conference selection is much more than just a deft scorer. During his time at Milwaukee, Freeman displayed a savvy all-around game, posting 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists averages last season for the Panthers. Despite being a newcomer to the squad, Freeman is expected to be a focal point in ASU’s offense next season. The incoming senior is ranked No. 124 in the Rivals transfer rankings.

Alston Mason | Guard | 6-2 | Senior

ASU prioritized Mason early in the transfer portal, and their efforts paid dividends. The 6-foot-2 guard started his career at Oklahoma but played the last two seasons at Missouri State, where he developed into one of the better guards at the mid-major level. Last season, he averaged 17.5 points and 3.6 assists while earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors. Mason was actually born in the valley, and his father, Alton, played for the Sun Devils in the early 2000s, so the transfer to ASU was a full-circle moment for him and his family. The incoming senior, who is ranked No. 71 in the Rivals transfer rankings, is the early frontrunner to start at point guard next season. His skill set and style of play should mesh well with Hurley’s up-tempo system.

Basheer Jihad | Forward | 6-9 | Senior

The biggest X-factor on ASU’s roster might be Jihad, a 6-foot-9 stretch forward who transferred from Ball State. After an uneventful first two years with the Cardinals, Jihad had a massive breakout junior season in 2023-24. The forward averaged 18.6 points and 8 rebounds en route to earning All-MAC honors. Making the jump to the Big 12 surely won’t be easy, but his unique skill set should translate to a higher level. On offense, he’s comfortable on the low block, in pick-n-roll situations, or stepping out to shoot the three. He’s also an excellent rebounder and versatile defender.

On the other hand, cutting down his turnovers after tallying 98 last season in 29 games will be key to his acclimation to a higher level of play. Jihad, who will likely start at power forward, is expected to play a pivotal role in ASU’s revamped frontcourt. The incoming senior is ranked No. 89 in the Rivals transfer rankings.

Austin Nunez | Guard | 6-2 | Junior

One of the more unique storylines of the upcoming season is the return of Nunez, who comes back to ASU after spending a year at Ole Miss. As a true freshman in 2022-23, he was the first guard off the bench for a Sun Devil squad that won 23 games that year and made the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 4.5 points and shot nearly 38 percent from beyond the arc while providing a great deal of energy on defense. Nunez barely saw the floor at Ole Miss (6.6 minutes per game) this past season, however, now that he’s back in Tempe, don’t be surprised to see a bounce-back season. The 6-foot-2 combo guard has a high ceiling of potential and always seemed to be a good fit in Hurley’s system. A more mature Nunez is virtually another returning player for ASU and has become more of a vocal leader since his return. “I think as a freshman here, he was a little bit on the quiet side,” Hurley said. “(However) he’s been one of our best leaders and communicators early in the summer, so that’s been really positive to see.”

Brandon Gardner | Forward | 6-8 | Redshirt Freshman

Perhaps the most underrated addition this offseason is Gardner, who transferred after spending one season at USC. The 6-foot-8 forward missed most of the 2023-24 season with a foot injury, which resulted in a medical redshirt. Gardner, a former top-100 player coming out of high school, is known for his athleticism and high motor. As a senior at Christ the King High in New York City, he was named “Mr. Basketball” for the state of New York after averaging 12 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. The addition of Gardner fortifies the Sun Devil frontcourt, which got significantly taller and more athletic this offseason. Due to the medical redshirt, Gardner still has four years of eligibility remaining.

Incoming Recruits

Jayden Quaintance | Forward-Center | 6-9 | Freshman

The crown jewel of ASU’s historic recruiting class is Quaintance, the No. 8 overall prospect in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-9 center was initially committed to Kentucky but re-opened his recruitment after John Calipari left for Arkansas in mid-April. ASU seemingly came out of nowhere to snag Quaintance, who chose the Sun Devils over a host of other schools. He was originally a member of the 2025 class but reclassified to 2024 last summer. As a result, he’ll be only 17 years old next season and, due to the current NBA bylaws, won’t be draft-eligible until the 2026 Draft. If everything goes well, that means ASU could have two seasons of Quaintance, who arrives to Tempe with sky-high expectations.

“He is special,” Hurley said of Quaintance. “What’s he going be over the next couple of years is scary because of his approach, makeup, physical tools, and his instincts for the game…He does things that coaches can’t teach. He’s just a very, very gifted guy.”

Joson Sanon | Guard | 6-5 | Freshman

The 6-foot-5 wing was originally committed to Arizona but flipped his commitment to ASU once Caleb Love, the Wildcats’ All-American guard, announced he was returning to college for a fifth season. Sanon’s commitment got extra attention due to the in-state rivalry, but his potential impact on the court could be huge for the Sun Devils. He is a big, athletic wing who arrives to Tempe with a college-ready body (and game).

Sanon, who is ranked by Rivals as the No. 26 prospect in the 2024 class, is an exceptional ball handler who can create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. He can score at all three levels and has an advanced mid-range game for his age. Sanon, who is projected in various mock drafts as a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has already stated he intends to be a “one-and-done” player at ASU. Hurley said Sanon’s admission to the university was delayed due to his reclassification (to the 2024 class). However, he is expected to arrive on campus in the next day or two to join the rest of the team.

Amier Ali | Forward | 6-8 | Freshman

The four-star prospect committed to the Sun Devils back in October. It was certainly helpful that his uncle, Yusuf Ali, is an assistant coach on ASU’s staff. The 6-foot-8 forward is one of the more offensively gifted players in the 2024 class. His ability to score at all three levels should help a Sun Devil offense that needs additional firepower. Ali, who prepped locally at Canyon International Academy this past season, will certainly need to add some strength to compete in the rugged Big 12. Although he is expected to be part of the rotation as a true freshman, there won’t be too much pressure for the top-100 player to contribute right away. Nonetheless, Ali has already turned heads in summer workouts with his scoring ability. “He can really shoot it,” Hurley added. “In some of our initial shooting drills, his shot-making has been exceptional.”

***

When the dust settled, ASU’s retooling efforts went about as well as anybody could have hoped for. Rebuilding a roster is never an exact science, but Hurley is pleased with the collection of talent he’s assembled in Tempe.

“This team, in my estimation, does stack up with the best teams that I’ve had from a personnel standpoint,” Hurley commented. “We think we have a lot of components [to become] a really good basketball team.”

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