Arizona State Still Believes in Struggling Forward

The Sun Devils haven't seen the production that they had hoped to on the wing.

Arizona State Sun Devils Marcus Adams Jr. (8) runs with the ball against Southern Utah Thunderbirds Tanner Hayhurst (3) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The 2025-26 season has been relatively kind to the Arizona State Sun Devils to this point, as Bobby Hurley's 11th season has started with a 6-2 mark.

The two losses were quite competitive and were against a pair of top-25 teams according to the NET rankings, so there's surely a reason for optimism with 20+ games to go in the campaign, in the face of not having a pure wing player on the roster that has stepped up.

Junior forward Marcus Adams Jr. has the potential to step up massively in the months to come, but has followed up the 16.1 PPG effort a season ago at Cal State Northridge with averaging just over two points per contest in eight appearances this season after coming back from an injury suffered in September ahead of the season.

Arizona State Sun Devils Moe Odum (5) runs with the ball against Southern Utah Thunderbirds Elijah Duval (1) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Point guard Moe Odum isn't worried about the slow start from the talented sharpshooter - believing that the breakout is coming in short order according to the former following Friday's practice.

Odum Believes in Adams

"I'm not worried about Marcus at all. He played, he played a little bit in a Hawaii trip. But after, after we got back, I spoke to coach, and we make Marcus run seven teams after practice, and we make him do another running drill, and then we make him shoot after, and then he do that, and then he come work out in the morning."

"So it was just all about him getting used to it. You know, he come in, still coming back from injury. It's his first time playing against high-major comp, so we just got to reel him in slowly. So I'm not worried about Marcus."

Adams' journey has been a fascinating one, with numerous setbacks and tragedies along the way, but the former highly touted recruit finally came along last season. It's quite simple to see how Adams will fit into the scheme of the season once he eases in, as he has a soft touch on jumpers, has the ability to play solid team defense, and make the right play on the ball in different situations.

Arizona State Sun Devils Marcus Adams Jr. (8) looses possession of the ball during a game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The next opportunity to watch Adams in action is tonight against the Oklahoma Sooners. It's unclear if Adams will see much court time, but it's clear that there is an ample amount of belief from both coaches and the roster that he will turn it around in the near future.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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