In a move that was very much expected for a while, ASU freshman guard Joson Sanon, who was the No. 26 ranked prospect in the 2024 class, will enter the transfer portal, which officially opens on March 24. The 6-5 Sanon averaged 11.9 points and 3.4 rebounds, shooting 42.2% from the floor and 36.9% from the 3-point range. A solid non-conference slat,e where he averaged 14 points, was followed by an ankle injury suffered in the Big 12 opener at BYU. Sanon proceeded to miss five games and, early in conference play, seemed to be not fully healed from that injury, an aspect that caused ASU to struggle during its contest against the league's foes. Over the last five games of the season, he averaged 18.8 points, but it was too little too late from an ASU team that won just four games after a 9-2 and finished conference play with a 4-16 mark and an overall record of 13-19.
ASU will play in the Las Vegas Crown Tournament on March 31, facing Nebraska, and a squad that was shorthanded for nearly the entire conference slate due to injuries and suspensions finds itself shorthanded once again. Head coach Bobby Hurley will return for his 11th season in Tempe, and now all eyes will be on two other talented ASU freshmen, five-star forward Jayden Quaintance, who suffered a serious knee injury late in the year, and four-star forward Amier Ali, and whether they will follow suit and enter the portal as well.
It was believed that Hurley could hold onto his nucleus of players from the 2024-25 season, an aspect that did contribute to some extent to the decision to have him stay on board with currently just one year left on his contract, and while Sanon's departure doesn't come as a major surprise, it can certainly bring into question as to how many players are going to return for the upcoming season. ASU is still very much in the running for local Gilbert Pery and five-star forward Koa Peat, and the No. 8 overall 2025 prospect. Yet, his addition is far from a certainty, but if it were to take place, it could definitely soften the blow of Sanon's departure. Furthermore, Sanon entering the portal should free up a significant chunk of the NIL payment that would be given to Peat.
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