Former Ohio State forward Zo Gaffney pledges to ASU

The roster overhaul in Tempe continues, as former 6-9 Ohio State forward Zo (Alonzo) Gaffney who played last season at Florida Northwestern announced that he is joining the ranks at Arizona State.

Gaffney, who was a teammate of another Ohio State transfer who is now a member of the ASU program, guard Luther Muhammad, played 17 games as a reserve for the Buckeyes, averaging 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. He left Columbus following that season and transferred to Northwest Florida, where he averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Raiders.

Greg Heiar was named the head coach at Northwest Florida following Gaffney’s lone season at Niceville, but naturally was able to observe the forward’s performance by default when reviewing the team’s games in the last campaign.

“I spent time with Zo after I was hired, and he’s a great young man,” Heiar said. “I thought he could have been the Defensive Player of the Year in our conference. He’s a very versatile defender and can defend multiple positions. He’s a very intelligent player who can play either inside or outside. He can handle and the ball and make good decisions with the ball in his hands. He has good range from three-point and can score in the paint too.

“He earned his (Associates) degree and graduated, and if with the extra year (granted by the NCAA’s eligibility freeze), he could have come back here, but I understand why he wanted to go back to a Division I school. He’s a high level player that wants to play for a high level school. I’m very happy and excited for Zo and his family. This is what they wanted, and they found a great place that has a great staff and a great style of play. He’s going to be a great fit at Arizona State. That’s a terrific pickup with three years to play.”

Analyst Corey Evans said in his analysis at the time Gaffney committed to Ohio State, that the forward was a force on the defensive end of the floor.

A 6-foot-8 prospect that can play either forward position, Gaffney evolved into a national prospect last summer. Sporting over a 7-foot wingspan, there are major similarities between the five-star junior and last season’s star, Keita Bates-Diop .

Capable of creating his own shot, rebounding in traffic and defending multiple positions, there is still some time to go before Gaffney touches his basketball ceiling. Since the summer, Gaffney has grown another inch and has begun to polish his ball skills. Remaining a more consistent offensive weapon and showing more toughness are his more pressing needs.

The Buckeyes defeated Michigan State, Georgetown and a handful of others for his their first pledge of the class. North Carolina had remained in touch and an offer this spring may have changed the complexion of his recruitment.

Gaffney represents the sixth transfer (Luther Muhammad joined last year but sat out the season) who will lace them up for ASU and, along with five members of the 2021 recruiting class, marks the eleventh new face on the team.

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