Another day, another local four-star forward joins the ranks in Tempe. Earlier in the week, Amier Ali committed to Arizona State, and this afternoon, Chandler AZ Compass Prep standout Sammie Yeanay followed suit and pledged to the Sun Devils as well.
“I love the playing style,” Yeanay said. “Me and Coach Hurley and the rest of the coaching staff, we got the same goals and the same plan as far as me playing at the school. It’s only right that I go there. Coach Hurley said that no one expected him to be picked seventh in the draft when he left college, and like me, he’s someone who isn’t about him, but it’s about the team. He told me that every time I’m on the floor, I need to play for the team winning and not for myself. He taught me a lot about working hard.
“(Associate Head Coach) Jermaine Kimbrough has been recruiting me the most from the school. He’s been very consistent with me ever since he started recruiting me in July and always showed me a lot of love. He’s been a mentor showing me what to do and to do not only in basketball but also in life.”
The forward ranked as the No. 104 prospect in his class who attended Gainesville (Fla.) The Rock School last year had then-hometown school Florida in his top five, along with Utah, Washington State, and Ohio (the only school aside from ASU that he visited.
“The coaches told me that they see me as a wing player who will be to facilitate. I’m a three-level scorer who can play a stretch four but also put the ball on the floor. I’m a versatile player that can do anything the team needs me to do. NBA players I try to model my game after are Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić.”
AZ Compass head coach Pete Kaffey said that he’s counting on Yeanay being one of the leaders on his team not only because of the forward's qualities but also the diversity of his game.
“He can play the 3 through 5 spots,” Kaffey noted. “He rebounds at an elite level.
He can shoot the three-ball, attack the floor, and is an elite passer. He plays with a lot of energy and passion and is a great kid. It helped ASU that he was here in their backyard and they were able to gain a leg on a lot of other schools that were recruiting him. He’s the type of player that ASU fans will like.”
Yeanay has been on the ASU campus several times before he officially visited Tempe in early October and said that he has always enjoyed learning more and more about the program during his in-person encounters.
“They showed me film, what kind of plays they run, and what they have planned for me in the future,” Yeanay described. “They showed me how I will be able to be successful in their system. The coaches allow the players to be themselves, and I like that for me because I’m the type of player who can do everything. The system allows you to be free and just make plays for your teammates.
“Braelon Green hosted me during the visit, and he told me about all the hard work I have to put in as a freshman so I can be successful. It said once you get there, I’m gonna get better because of all the work you put in. He was telling me that some of the biggest problems freshmen have is about time management, and Arizona State is a big school, and there’s so much stuff to do. But if you put in the work, the school will give you all the things you need to do to be successful on and off the court.”
Yeanay joins fellow four-star forward Amier Ali, as well as junior college transfer forward Jeremiah Nyarko and 6-11 center Jaden Smith as the four ASU 2024 pledges to date. All prospects are expected to sign with the school next week during the November signing period that runs from November 8 through the 15th.
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