Kentucky, Alabama, Kansas, and Arkansas were Amier Ali’s other teams in his top 5. But Arizona State was his first official visit and, as it turns out, his last one, too. One day after his Tempe trip, the 2024 6-9 four-star forward and Top-100 prospect from Tucson’s Canyon International Academy committed to ASU (he attends the Glendale, Ariz. branch of that school).
“I like Coach Hurley, and he can develop his players,” Ali said. “My goal is to play in the NBA, and I know that he can help me get there. All the players I met on my visit said how much they like being coached by him, how he develops them, and how much they like having a head coach who actually cares about you. Yusuf Ali, (and ASU assistant coach), is my uncle. They (ASU) offered me and stayed in touch because my uncle was hired, and once he did, that’s when things really started to get connected.
“The trip was great. The hospitality was great. Meeting with the whole coaching staff, it feels like a family over there for sure. I love the facilities and the environment there with the mountains and all that stuff. This was my first time on campus. I was really doing a lot of research on ASU. So, I knew a lot about it before I visited.”
Ali got to see the Sun Devils in their 79-75 overtime win in a scrimmage over San Jose State. It was an invaluable experience since he got to learn even more about the team, as they were in a true game environment. It was also an experience that helped clarify to him the expectations that the staff has for him and his fit in the scheme.
“I got to see how the coaches really use their players,” Ali explained. “I liked how he used (ASU guard) Jamiya Neal, who had 35 points in that game. I liked the play calling they had for him because he made the game simple for him. Coach Hurtley told me how Jamiya waited his time, like waiting for three years, for his time. He wasn’t always that type of scorer, and he developed him into that player. So that really was amazing to me because he (Neal) is really, really good.
“I bring a lot of versatility offensively and defensively, I have a high motor, and I’m just a competitor and a winner. I want to come in there, obviously develop, but winning is also a big thing for me. I want to win a lot of games, and next year in the Big 12, I want to win as many games as possible, try to win the Big 12 and go to the NCAA tournament, and try to win there. The coaches see me as a guard, playing 1 through 3. They want me to facilitate, be a playmaker, but at the same time be a scorer. I try to model my game after players like Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, and LaMelo Ball.”
Ali joins 6-11 center Jaden Smith and 6-9 forward Jeremiah Nyarko as the other ASU 2024 pledges who all plan to sign their letter of intent next month between November 8 and 15.
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