How Cambridge Brothers Fit on Arizona State's Squad
Late Thursday evening, the Sun Devils basketball team got much needed help when brothers Devan and Desmond Cambridge announced their decision to transfer to Arizona State.
After initially heading into the transfer portal, the brothers stuck to their word of remaining together as a package.
Arizona State previously lost guard Marreon Jackson and forward Kimani Lawrence following the season before forward Jalen Graham announced he would be entering the transfer portal.
"Arizona State is a great fit for both of us from a style of play perspective," Desmond told FanDuel. "They really push the ball. We'll be able to show our offensive potential in that high octane system."
After losing two forwards and ASU's recruiting class for next season featured only two players (guard Austin Nunez and center Duke Brennan), Arizona State's squad received a much-needed boost this week.
The Sun Devils are expected to return forwards Marcus Bagley, Jamiya Neal and Alonzo Gaffney. Here's how Devan fits in the frontcourt:
What Devan Cambridge Brings to Arizona State
Cambridge arrives from Auburn after three seasons, where he averaged 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.
Here's what Auburn Daily's Lance Dawe said about Cambridge:
"His best season came in 2020, where he started 19 games for the Tigers and averaged 8.9 points. Statistically, he progressed shooting free throws, but regressed shooting beyond the arc. The bouncy 6-foot-6 forward shot 34.2% from three during his freshman season, 28.7% during his sophomore season, and 22.1% in his junior season.
"His athleticism was what made him a valuable asset to the Tigers. Cambridge grabbed 1.7 offensive rebounds per contest during this season. He also caught a number of ridiculous lobs and threw down some vicious dunks."
Cambridge did indeed make himself available for plenty of alley-oops during his time as a Tiger.
Cambridge's presence at the rim and knack to hammer the basketball home could provide ASU with great energy. If head coach Bobby Hurley rolls out a three-forward starting unit, Cambridge should slot alongside Bagley and Gaffney.
Regardless, Hurley does a good job of rotating players where everyone has the possibility to make an impact. Four forwards averaged over 21.6 minutes per game.
What Desmond Cambridge Brings to Arizona State
Desmond is a guard from Nevada and will arrive at ASU after putting up fairly solid numbers with the Wolfpack. He spent the first two seasons of his career at Brown before transferring to Nevada.
Cambridge averaged 16.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season, good enough to earn All-Mountain West honors. He hit over 20 points eight times with a high of 36 against Colorado State. Scoring is undoubtedly his best attribute.
While Cambridge should easily replace the scoring production of Jackson, the latter's four assists per game certainly won't be expected from Cambridge as he hit that number only six times all season.
Cambridge (6-foot-4) does provide length in the backcourt, which will be of great use on defense.
The guard position is extremely competitive at ASU. DJ Horne, Luther Muhammad and Jay Heath all made great contributions throughout the season, and Nunez is talented enough to make his impact felt early.
It will be interesting to see how Cambridge shakes into the lineup, but similar to the forwards, Hurley loves his guards and will rotate them properly. Three guards saw over 20 minutes per contest last year, with another (Muhammad at 19.2) nearly reaching the mark.
Can Brotherly Love Help ASU?
The Sun Devils were 11th in Pac-12 scoring at 65.4 points per game last season. ASU needed to upgrade the ability to put points on the board, and that was accomplished with both Cambridge brothers committing at Arizona State.
From an early perspective, Devan could potentially make a bigger impact thanks to a less-crowded frontcourt. Yet, when it comes to scoring, Desmond has displayed the ability to light up the rim on any given night.
However you split it, the Sun Devils will happily welcome both brothers on campus.
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