In what has been another frustrating offseason transfer cycle for the Sun Devils, Arizona State actually welcomed some good news out of the portal. 6-2 guard Austin Nunez, who played his freshman year in Tempe before transferring to Ole Miss last season, announced tonight that he is returning to the valley.
Not only familiarity with the program but also a sense of comfort were significant elements in a decision that is rarely seen with other transfers, regardless of sport.
“ASU was obviously the first school I attended, and all the love that was always shown to me while I was there,” Nunez said, “and everything that they instilled in me made me more confident than I was at the time when I was there. They made me play a certain way while I was there, and it was something I felt like I lost this year (at Ole Miss), with going through some off-the-court stuff and really being in a position where it was a little different for me.
“Ultimately, taking away everything that I learned from here, I felt like the best interest for me was to go to another program and instill it there. And I felt like ASU was the spot because of Coach Hurley. He always believed in me, and rightfully so. I was on the team that went to the NCAA tournament, but I didn't like that feeling in the way the season ended (a loss in the round of 64), so I wanted to come back knowing the school was starving for some good basketball.”
Nunez's commitment is the third for ASU in this transfer portal window, following the additions of forward Basheer Jihad and guard Alston Mason. With the departures of guards Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, and Barelon Green, Nunez fills a formidbale void in ASU's backcourt. Nunez has two years of eligibility.
As a sophomore in the 2022-23 season, Nunez generally made the most of his opportunities. He played in 28 games in a season that was cut short due to a concussion suffered against Utah last year, averaging 16.3 minutes and 4.5 points, shooting 41.5% from the floor, 37.7% from 3-point range, and 81.8% from the line.
At Ole Miss, Nunez averaged just six minutes and played in 30 games. The guard scored a total of 21 points and registered 14 rebounds and 17 assists in his sophomore campaign.
With those stats in play, there was never a doubt in the guard’s mind about which style of play fit his talents best.
“I'm not a real system player,” Nunez admitted. “I can be if I needed, but I think it's the fact that he (Hurley) lets his players be themselves, and that’s my style of play - willing to do anything for my teammate on the defensive end, playing hard and ultimately knowing how to play. I feel like sometimes, when you get the freedom that Hurley gives you, a lot of people, somewhat take advantage of that. And you have the ultimate chance to do what you want; you can be hard to guard if you’re thinking about the person next to you. So I feel that's a good attribute that I have in my game that fits well with the style and the pace that Coach Hurley likes to play.”
As a player returning to the team and city, he knows all too well that Nunez has yet to visit ASU since he entered the portal yesterday. Devils Digest was the first to report that the reason Nunez had a ‘no contact’ designation on his portal entry was because his mind was already made up that he was rejoining the ranks of the Sun Devils. The guard said that when he called Hurley after entering the portal, the Arizona State head coach was pleasantly surprised to hear about his former player wanting to reunite.
“The last time we talked on the phone was back in my freshman year,” Nunez recalled. “I honestly never thought we would talk again. But I'm not the type to ever delete numbers. So, I already had his number. So that that worked and it was honestly a funny situation. We kind of both laughed on the phone.
“For me, when I look at a school, it's not about the things that other people are worried about. It’s all about the opportunity to play. I'm going into my third year of college, and if I had come back to ASU last year, I would have played a lot. Even though the movement may not make sense to a lot of people, it bettered me as a basketball player coming to Ole Miss and as a human. So, I am excited to take those attributes to ASU and be a different person than I was when I was a freshman.
“The things that you can take away that are outside of basketball are things that will make you a person that people want to be around ultimately. And in basketball, you have to be someone that people will want to be around whenever they have a locker room issue or whatever the case may be. And I feel like the things that I learned while I was here (at Ole Miss), the overall picture that it takes place in to better me as a human is this kind of people wanting to be around me.”
Nunez noted that he’s looking forward to going back to his favorite restaurants in and around Tempe, such as The Chuckbox, Morning Squeeze, and Lo-Lo’s. In a pure basketball sense, he wants to set an example for his new teammates on and off the court and use the environment he felt he thrived on to provide the stage to show his growth as a player.
“I feel like in some peoples’ minds, they would look at me as someone who didn’t really play this past year,” Nunez explained, “or whatever the case may be. But I feel like with what I bring to practice every day, and the type of player that I want to be for ASU, I feel like it's something that's like gravitating towards others to want to play hard. Wanting to play for the guy next to them because I feel like that's really the first step in having a team before you even get into the plays and the shots.
“Defense is what wins games. And at the end of the day, if you're able to connect everyone to a certain point where they're willing to play hard for you or give up certain things for you, you will be connected no matter how bad the offense looks, and it always gives you a chance to win.”
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