Arizona State will not fire Bobby Hurley: Reports
According to multiple reports, Arizona State is expected to retain men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley through the remainder of his contract, which runs through the 2025-26 season. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro first reported the news.
Hurley has been on the hot seat for the past two months as his ASU team struggled to compete in its first season in the Big 12. The Sun Devils finished second-to-last in the 16-team conference and had lost 10 of its last 11 games heading into Tuesday's Big 12 Tournament game vs. Kansas State.
Hurley, 53, is 168-149 in 10 seasons at Arizona State, with three NCAA Tournament berths. All three berths were in the First Four. Hurley has a career NCAA Tournament record of 2-4 and has never advanced past the round of 64. When asked about making the NCAA Tournament on the Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo show last month, Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini said "it’s an expectation, it’s not a goal."
The Sun Devils (13-18) went 14-18 last season and will likely finish with their fourth losing record in the last five seasons. Hurley signed a two-year contract extension in 2023 and will make approximately $3 million in the final year of his deal.
Jayden Quaintance factor
With 17-year-old freshman Jayden Quaintance not eligible for the NBA Draft until 2026, there is concern he will enter the transfer portal if Hurley is fired. Quaintance is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 draft.
Hurley recruited Quaintance out of Word of God Christian Academy in North Carolina, along with his teammate Trevor Best. There are four promising freshmen on Arizona State's roster, and three are expected to return next season, assuming Hurley stays: Quaintance, Best and Amier Ali. Freshman shooting guard Joson Sanon is expected to enter the 2025 NBA Draft.
Arizona State is also recruiting five-star prospect Koa Peat out of Perry High School in nearby Gilbert, Arizona. With Hurley back ASU has a better chance to land Peat and pair him with Quaintance for one season.
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-66e6aeb5014b4c4eeac84ca997f034c9.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.