With next year’s roster almost entirely set, head coach Bobby Hurley spoke to the media on Tuesday afternoon. He addressed recruiting in the transfer portal, team chemistry, and summer practice plans.
There’s not a hotter topic in major college athletics today than the transfer portal and NIL, specifically the ease with which players can seamlessly transfer from school to school as if they were free agents. Hurley opened his media session by stating that he had just exited the portal and doesn’t want to go back any time soon.
“I think I left the portal last week; I’m hoping to not go back for a while. I think it’s good and positive. I wish the best for the guys who decided to move on with new opportunities. We doubled the retention rate, which is nice; I like to see that. We were very strategic with how we went about the portal; it’s not about the rankings of who’s the highest-rated prospect; it’s about who’s the best fit. I think we addressed those things the way we wanted to. There’s less guessing involved in terms of taking some experienced players in the transfer portal.”
Arizona State was very active in the portal, adding several players who figure to be starters or significant contributors off the bench in 2022/23. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Warren Washington from Nevada, as well as Cambridge’s younger brother Devan from Auburn. The transfer class is rounded out by Michigan guard transfer Frankie Collins, whom Hurley recruited Collins initially when he was coming out of High School.
"It happened pretty fast, Frankie hit the portal, and we were in communication with him quickly. I think he liked the idea of getting back to the west and saw the success that guards have had here. I like his size and strength and his ability to get downhill and get to the basket.” Hurley said of Collins. “There’s always going to be some give and take. We’ve added some experience with Desmond and Warren too. Experience matters; it’s very important. We’re bringing in a hungry group.”
As aggressive as the staff has been in recruiting the portal, Hurley has as many questions about the current modus operandi of college basketball’s transfer and NIL landscape.
“I’m still looking for clarification, and to be honest, I’m trying to get a handle on what’s happening because you’re seeing what’s going on nationally and some of the deals that are being reported,” Hurley explained. “In the next few days, I’m gonna be trying to absorb what was said yesterday and see how that’s going to work and what that means for our landscape. It’s an interesting thing I’ll be working on for the next few weeks and what that means for us.”
Much of the ultimate success of this team will likely depend on forward Marcus Bagley, specifically the health of his knee. He missed nearly all of last season after an initial timeline of the injury looked optimistic. According to Hurley, Bagley’s availability unlocks levels of athleticism that can take the team to new heights.
“Getting Marcus healthy is going to be key; he’s been working extremely hard to get on the floor. He’s making really good progress, so we’re really happy where he is right now. He’s not at the point where if we had to play a game tomorrow, that, I would say yeah, let’s get him in there, but he’s been doing some live stuff, and he’s had those reps. We have the time to build him up, so we’re doing that and being smart about it,” Hurley said.
Bagley’s value doesn’t just come on the court, as he is also being used as a surrogate recruiter.
"He's real laid back, not pressing. Makes the guys feel comfortable. Every time he's at dinner, we get commitments."
Those transfer recruits will be vital in ASU’s offensive game plan. Hurley described how the key pieces will fit into his offense and how he sees that unit improving and playing a brand of basketball he is more comfortable with.
“I’m going to try and run Des Cambridge off screens because he can really make shots. I want to get out and run a little more than we did last year; we were too deliberate. We did that out of necessity, but a guy like Devan Cambridge who can get out on that wing and be one of the best athletes on the court any time he plays. I think Warren Washington certainly negates the loss of Jalen Graham in terms of him being able to score a little bit in the paint. You try to utilize the skill set of the guys you’re bringing in and not force them to adjust so much.”
The last two seasons have been unusual, given the pandemic. While Hurley doesn’t use this obstacle as an excuse, he’s excited to be able to get through a full extensive offseason program for the first time in three years.
“I think what I’ll learn is to do more team stuff this summer. I want to see what combinations look good this summer. There is roster versatility to go in various directions. You just knock on wood so that everyone stays healthy. We have great depth, so we’ll see what that looks like at the end of the summer,” Hurley said. “I do think we have to have a heavier dose of team-related stuff in July and get my pulse on how we need to play before we hit the practice court in September.”
An extended offseason program will be a big help to the team's chemistry. Hurley wanted to emphasize how each player the staff brought in plays a specific role and that they are all guys who value winning above all else.
“I just think we needed to bring in guys who are serious about winning. In Desmond’s case, he has one year, and he wants to maximize it. Devan and Warren have played a lot of basketball, and they want to go to the NCAA tournament. Again, we needed to address certain needs.”
Sun Devil fans have heard a lot about lofty preseason expectations and driven teams both on the basketball court and on the football field over the last few years. While the rhetoric from Hurley is no different, his success in recruiting the portal certainly puts Arizona State in a good position to compete with the conference’s premier teams.
“I think I’ve had two years in Covid where I have not lived up to the standards that I set for myself as a coach, so I have a chip on my shoulder; I think Marcus Bagley certainly does in all our conversations. We should be a really hungry group.”
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