An early look at ASU’s 2023-24 basketball roster

Fresh off the heels of a 23-win season and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, Arizona State finds itself in a significant rebuild mode after a mass exodus from the program.

Some of the departures were expected. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Luther Muhammad exhausted their eligibility, while Marcus Bagley entered the NBA Draft after playing only two games for the Sun Devils this past season (he left the team for personal reasons).

The other departures, however, were a bit surprising.

Six players transferred out of the program after the season concluded: DJ Horne (left for NC State), Devan Cambridge (Oregon), Warren Washington (Texas Tech), Austin Nunez (Ole Miss), Duke Brennan (Grand Canyon), and Enoch Boakye (Fresno State).

In total, Hurley will have to replace nine (yes, nine!) scholarship players from last year’s squad.

With so many holes to fill, Hurley, who is heading into his ninth season as ASU’s head coach, has been hard at work revamping the Sun Devil roster over the last month.

He’s added six transfers from the portal and signed a three-man recruiting class.

After all the shuffling, ASU’s roster currently sits at 12 scholarship players. In theory, the Sun Devils could add one more player to the roster, but that appears unlikely at this juncture.

With that being said, let’s take a deeper look at ASU’s squad for the 2023-24 season (as it currently stands on May 15):

Returning Players (3)

Frankie Collins, PG, 6-1, Jr. (*entered NBA Draft, but retained college eligibility)

Collins is currently testing the NBA Draft waters, and since the transfer portal window closed on May 11, it is widely expected he’ll return to Tempe next season. If he indeed comes back to Tempe (and he has until May 31 to exit the draft), Collins will be ASU’s only returning starter from last year. After transferring from Michigan, the 6-foot-1 point guard enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign in 2022-23. He averaged 9.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and was among the Pac-12 leaders in assists (4.3) and steals (1.3). Last season, Collins routinely deferred to older (and more experienced) teammates like Desmond Cambridge and Horne. However, he will be expected to set the tone for ASU on both ends of the floor next season. If the Sun Devils have any chance of returning to the NCAA Tournament, they will need Collins to take a big step in 2023-24.

Alonzo Gaffney, PF, 6-9, 5th Yr.

The veteran forward struggled for most of last season. He had the lowest player efficiency rating (7.5) of any ASU rotation player and shot only 35 percent from the field (including 23 percent from three-point range). However, if there’s a silver lining, Gaffney looked impressive in the last month of the season. In his final eight games, he shot 50 percent from the floor and provided good defensive energy off the bench. Talent has never been the issue with Gaffney, who was a consensus Top-50 player coming out of high school. Consistency and confidence are the keys to unlocking his full potential. The fifth-year senior, who is exercising his additional year of eligibility (due to the COVID-19 eligibility freeze), should provide valuable leadership and versatility to the frontcourt in 2023-24.

Jamiya Neal, G/F, 6-6, Jr.

The X-factor for the Sun Devils may just be Neal, who could be in a position for a breakout season. After briefly entering the transfer portal in late March, the 6-foot-6 wing decided to come back to ASU for his junior season. Neal plays with an extremely high motor, which allows him to create plays on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he handles the ball well for his position and is an improving shooter from the field. On defense, he can defend multiple positions, thanks in large part to his length and athleticism. Neal played the best basketball of his career during the home stretch of last season. In five postseason games (Pac-12 and NCAA Tournaments), he averaged 10 points off the bench while shooting 55 percent from the field (including 44 percent from 3-point range). He scored a career-high 16 points in ASU’s win over Nevada in the First Four game of the NCAA Tournament. You may be hard-pressed to find a more intriguing player on the current Arizona State roster.

Incoming Transfers (6)

Kamari Lands, F, 6-8, So.

After a mediocre freshman season at Louisville, the Sun Devils hope a change of scenery will help the 6-foot-8 combo forward. ASU heavily recruited Lands out of high school—and even made his final list of two schools—but eventually lost out to the Cardinals. After a brief detour, the former top-100 prospect eventually found his way to Tempe, where he is expected to play a major role in ASU’s frontcourt next season. Lands put up modest numbers at Louisville last year—5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 32.6 field goal percentage—but don’t be surprised to see him have a breakout season in 2023-24. He is a talented offensive player who can score at all three levels and handles the ball well for a player his size. Lands has three years of eligibility remaining.

Brycen Long, SG, 6-2, Sr.

One of ASU’s biggest weaknesses this past season was 3-point shooting, and the addition of Long instantly addresses the team’s need for more perimeter shooters. The 6-foot-2 guard played three seasons at Houston Christian (formerly Houston Baptist), where he started 67 (out of 84) games for the Huskies. This past season was Long’s best as a collegiate. He averaged 14.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting an impressive 41.6 percent from beyond the arc (which ranked 14th among all NCAA Division 1 players). The sharpshooting guard probably won’t start next season, but he should be a valuable weapon coming off the bench. It’s a homecoming for Long, who grew up in the valley and prepped locally at Gilbert High, where he won a state championship as a junior. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Zane Meeks, PF, 6-9, 5th Yr.

Meeks opted to use his additional year of eligibility (due to COVID-19) and will play his final collegiate season at ASU. The 6-foot-9 stretch forward, who had previous stints at Nevada and San Francisco, could be an intriguing weapon in the Sun Devil frontcourt next season. Meeks is a solid rebounder and can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting (34 percent for his career). His outside shooting should help ASU’s halfcourt offense, which struggled mightily at times last season. Hurley was able to scout Meeks up and close personal over the last two years. During the 2021-22 season, Meeks posted 15 points and five rebounds in a San Francisco win over ASU. And last season, Meeks chipped in nine points and six rebounds (in only 15 minutes), resulting in a win for the Dons.

Adam Miller, SG, 6-3, R-Jr.

The prize of ASU’s transfer haul is Miller, who has been on the Sun Devils’ radar for several years. Hurley heavily recruited the 6-foot-3 shooting guard out of high school and later when he entered the transfer portal for the first time (in Spring 2021). Apparently, the third time’s the charm for ASU, who finally got their guy. Miller began his career at Illinois, where he played for one season, before transferring to LSU. He missed all of the 2021-22 season with an ACL injury but bounced back last year, averaging 11.5 points and 2.3 rebounds for the Tigers. Miller, a top-35 prospect coming out of high school, has always been known as a dynamic scorer with a high upside. Next year, he’ll get the opportunity to be the featured player in ASU’s offense, which lost its top three scorers from last season. However, as a two-time undergraduate transfer, Miller may need a waiver from the NCAA to play next season. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

Shawn Phillips, C, 7-0, So.

The Sun Devils nabbed a second transfer from LSU in the form of Shawn Phillips, an imposing 7-foot, 245-pound center. Phillips played sparingly (7.4 minutes per game) as a true freshman last season. However, he delivered when he received extended minutes in the SEC Tournament. In LSU’s opening-round game against Georgia, Phillips tallied 13 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks in 25 minutes of play. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but he should provide instant rebounding and rim protection -- two areas of concern for ASU last season. Phillips may need another year of seasoning before he’s a vital part of the rotation, but at a minimum, he should provide quality depth off the Sun Devil bench. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

Bryant Selebangue, F/C, 6-8, Sr.

Perhaps the most underrated addition of ASU’s offseason is Selebangue. The 6-foot-8 post player nearly averaged a double-double last season at Tulsa (12 points and 9.2 rebounds) while shooting 62 percent from the field. Known for his high motor and ability to finish around the hoop, Selebangue’s presence should help ease the loss of starting center Warren Washington, who transferred out of the program this spring. The Montreal native began his collegiate career at the JUCO level but successfully made the jump to Division 1 last season. He’s a bit undersized to play at the five spot, but he makes up for it with his energy and athleticism. Selebangue is expected to play a significant role in ASU’s revamped frontcourt next season. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

2023 Class Additions (3)

Malachi Davis, G, 6-4, Jr.

With the addition of Davis, the Sun Devils landed one of the most dynamic JUCO players in the country. The 6-foot-4 combo guard enjoyed a stellar season at Tallahassee Community College, where he averaged 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field (35 from 3-point range). However, it was his legendary performance during the NJCAA D1 National Tournament that caught everyone’s attention. In four tournament games, the Toronto native averaged 36 points per contest, which included a 48-point outburst against Salt Lake CC in the second round of the tourney. Davis, who can play on or off the ball, is a crafty playmaker who thrives in the open court. He should flourish in Hurley’s system, which allows guards a lot of freedom to improvise on the fly.

Braelon Green, SG, 6-3, Fr.

One newcomer to keep an eye on is Green, a prospect ranked by Rivals as the no. 33 shooting guard (and 143rd overall prospect) in the 2023 class. ASU prioritized the 6-foot-3 guard early in his recruitment and secured a commitment from him last fall. Green was a standout player at Southern California Academy this past season. However, he became acquainted with Hurley and the Sun Devil program during his junior year of high school when he prepped at nearby Glendale (Ariz.) Dream City Christian. With a number of veteran guards on the roster, there won’t be too much pressure on Green to contribute right away. However, with his solid ball handling and ability to score at all three levels, don’t be surprised to see the freshman crack the rotation next season.

Akil Watson, PF, 6-8, Fr.

The other member of ASU’s incoming freshmen class is Watson, who is ranked by Rivals as the no. 32 power forward (and 134th overall prospect) in the 2023 class. The 6-foot-9 forward was a standout at Roselle Catholic (NJ), where he won a state championship this past season. Known for his athleticism and versatility, Watson could be an intriguing weapon in the frontcourt next season. However, he is a bit thin (200 pounds) and will need to bulk up to play against D-I competition. With a logjam expected in the frontcourt next season, it may be difficult for Watson to see the floor as a true freshman. However, he gives ASU another weapon off the bench and also a nice building block for the future.

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