When Bobby Hurley was hired at ASU, it seemed to be just a matter of when, not if, the Sun Devils would be able to start landing players from New Jersey's St. Anthony High School where Bobby Hurley Sr. coaches. On Tuesday night four-star forward Daniel Mading became the Sun Devils' first pledge of the 2017 class.
The 6-8 200-pound Mading started playing at St. Anthony's this year after playing at The Rock School in Gainesville (Fla.). last year. A strong showing in the recent July AAU tournament circuit elevated him to a four-star prospect status. Consequently, he was attracting suitors such as Missouri, St. John's, Georgia, LSU, USC and Washington State among others.
Madding is ranked no. 64 class and is a Top-100 prospect much like ASU's 2016 class signees Sam Cunliffe (no. 68) and Jethro Tshisumpa (no. 97)
Perhaps the most intriguing fact regarding Mading is that he's the cousin of five-star 2016 front court player Thon Maker, who has Arizona State on his short list and is scheduled to visit Tempe next month, as well as the cousin of Maker's younger brother and fellow 2017 prospect Matur Maker.
“I think he’s a pretty versatile kid,” said St. Anthony’s head coach Bobby Hurley Sr. “He’s 6-8 and needs to get stronger, lower body particularly so he can hold defenders off. But he is extremely graceful and agile. One of the things that is really lacking in our sport right now are guys that can make their shot and he can really shoot the ball. He’s constantly asking questions about the game, whether it’s something that was on T.V. the night before or us putting something in that I saw from a game, he really enjoys playing.
“Two years from now you will get a kid that physically is so much stronger and playing for us here at St, Anthony he will have a chance to compete against very good players. As we speak he is the weight room, so there is no slacking whatsoever. He’s excited to be at Arizona State and doing what he needs to do as a young player. After he is done lifting in the weight room he will meet me in the gym and shoot a hundred free throws. He has a passion for playing and his upside is very good.”
Hurley Sr. said that Mading’s versatility will probably have him playing as a combination forward rather than a stretch power forward.
“Since he joined us in September he is already developing,” Hurley Sr. commented. “He didn't have a great left hand, we talked to him about it and you can see him practicing in the gym and working on his left hand. He isn’t content at where he is and his upside is very good.”
Due to the fact Mading turns 19 right before September 1st 2016; he won’t be able to play his senior year unless he can win an appeal. Thus, it remains to be seen whether he will stay at St. Antony or not.
“I know he can stay here in school taking core classes,” Hurley Sr. stated, “and continue to participate in everything we do, but just not play in games next year. It wouldn’t the worst thing for him. He’s an honors student who is very comfortable in school. He speaks English and French and is taking Spanish now. So he’s handling his academics very well.
“I hope he stays with us for his second year because I think we can do a lot for him and better prepare him to play in college. If he does decide to leave (likely to play at a prep school) I just hope that whoever takes the next step with him just continues to put the building blocks in.”
Mading was in Tempe with his St. Anthony team who played in the Hoophall West tournament the weekend before Christmas. His head coach said that this experience was undoubtedly a significant reason why the forward elected to commit to Hurley Sr.’s son and ASU.
“I think that really solidified things,” Hurley Sr. remarked. “We were on the campus just a week and a half ago. He felt the energy in the place and what is being built and that was probably a significant part of it. I've seen a lot of the (ASU) games and Herb Sendek was a very good coach so the way the kids did approach basketball was the right way. But the level of intensity has been amped up and kids like Willie Atwood and Tra Holder, when you watch them and everybody else they have all bought in. They won close games, they played good teams and were competitive with everybody and people are noticing that.
“I’m very demanding in my style so he won’t have any problems with his college coach. The thing that separates kids in this sport is like or love, and he loves basketball. When you love something it means that you won’t have a hard day working at it.”
