Sun Devil Hoops signs two top 100 prospects
Quantity doesn't have to comprise quality, and Arizona State’s basketball 2023 class is a perfect example of that theory.
In the early signing period, the Sun Devils have officially inked a pair of four-star recruits. Braelon Green, a 6-3 guard, ranked No. 65 overall among all 2023 prospects, as well as Akil Watson, a 6-9 forward, ranked No. 97 overall among all 2023 prospects.
Despite having just two additions, ASU's 2023 class is ranked no. 29 in the nation and third in the Pac-12
Green is considered an explosive guard who utilizes his compact frame to play at a high level of aggression on both ends of the court. He’s an effective pull-up jump shooter who also has a formidable court vision. Green was also considering Nebraska ad NC State
“I like their (ASU’s) style of play,” Green said in a DevilsDigest interview. “I watched the highlights of what their guards have done there in the past, and then they (the ASU coaches) put my highlights in a side-by-side comparison and showed me how I would fit in the system. Coach Hurley sees me as a combo guard and said that I’m the type of guard who can score on three levels and can play good defense. Him playing as a point guard and him being in a position that I want to go to in the future, I think that can help me for sure.
“I talked to some players on the team like (ASU guards) Luther Muhammad and Frankie Collins, and they told me how coaches let players play and have full confidence in them. him. They said that if you work hard, they have no problems playing you at all.”
Watson, who was ASU’s first pledge of the 2023 class, also considered Illinois, which he had previously visited and was planning Seton Hall.
“I liked the long-term recruitment (process) with them and how they always been there with me,” Watson told Devils Digest shortly after his commitment. “It felt like home when I visited there. Everybody was welcoming to me and my parents, and we got along with everyone we met. It was just a great atmosphere.
“When I left there, I knew this is where I wanted to commit to. My parents, to be honest with you, had the same vibe too. That school just stood out from all the other schools I talked to and visited. I liked the interaction with (head) coach Hurley, and he was with me on the entire time. Some visits, the head coach isn’t with you, but he was with me the whole time. And we were not talking just about basketball but about life too.”
Hurley’s transparency also resonated with ASU’s newest addition regarding the Sun Devil’s head coach’s specific expectations of the four-star forward.
“He likes how versatile I am, the way I get up and down the floor,” Watson noted. “He said I can shoot the ball very well, and can really be a great two-way player, and I play a good level of defense. I definitely want to improve my ball handling and just getting stronger. I try to model my game after Kevin Durant and Paul George.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, run by the longest-tenured Sun Devil sports beat writer, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today and get your daily fix of Sun Devil news!
