Sun Devil Saturday Roundup: ASU Basketball Experience Wins, Losses in Same Week
Less than three weeks away from the 2021 NBA Draft, and Arizona State fans are a lot less likely to hear one of their own called to the stage by commissioner Adam Silver thanks to a handful of changed minds.
The Sun Devils experienced wins and losses on both the hardwood and gridiron in this week's Sun Devil Saturday Roundup:
Marcus Bagley Returns
Although summer time is usually reserved for football recruiting, Bagley ensured Arizona State's basketball program would remain relevant through the news cycle by not only withdrawing himself from the 2021 NBA Draft, but also apparently returning to Arizona State despite being listed in the transfer portal.
ASU even made it as a winner in Lila Bromberg of Sports Illustrated's list of winners and losers of 2021 NBA Draft decisions.
"Arizona State has had an offseason full of turnover after finishing with an 11–14 record, with nine new players added to the roster amid numerous departures," said Bromberg. "While it remains unclear how well Bobby Hurley’s new group will mesh, the return of Bagley is a welcome surprise that instantly makes the Sun Devils better."
Despite the huge success of Bagley returning for another run with Arizona State, the program did suffer a handful of losses through the course of the week.
Martin, Verge Transfer from Tempe
Senior guards Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge Jr. parted ways with the program over the past week.
Martin, who also withdrew from the 2021 NBA Draft, decided it was best to return to school for another season and eventually landed on basketball powerhouse Kansas. Verge, a graduate transfer, also withdrew from the draft and chose Nebraska as his new stomping grounds for a final season of NCAA basketball.
With Verge averaging 14 points per game and Martin a three-time all-conference player in the Pac-12, the Sun Devils' backcourt will certainly look different heading into the 2021-2022 college basketball season.
Yet with a losing record and failure to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, perhaps that's what's best for head coach Bobby Hurley and Co.
Football Recruiting Continues at Slow Pace
After securing the talents of Cedar Hill, Tex., defensive lineman Syncere Massey last week, the Sun Devils were unable to capitalize on that momentum to ink their seventh commitment of the 2022 class. Tepulo High School's Jacarius Clayton, who decommitted from Mississippi State nearly a month ago, announced on Friday his decision to attend Ole Miss.
Arizona State's investigation has received no updates this week, with the last bit of news surrounding the football program coming two weeks ago in a report via The Athletic that deputy athletics director Jean Boyd knew of potential allegations during the winter.
Countdown to Season Opener Also Continues
We're now less than eight weeks away from the Sun Devils' 2021 season opener against Southern Utah, set to take place on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Sun Devil Stadium. After the team announced they would again not be attending Camp Tontozona due to COVID-19, team activities are quiet until a few weeks prior to kickoff.
Elsewhere in ASU Athletics
- Tennis player Desirae Krawczyk is tearing it up at Wimbledon, reaching the mixed-doubles semi-finals with her partner Neal Skupski. Matches can be found on ESPN+.
- The Arizona State hockey team announced their 2021 schedule, the final season played at Oceanside Ice Arena before moving to the team's new 5,000-seat arena next year. The 36-game season begins on Oct. 2, and the entire schedule can be found here.
- The Sun Devils' women's volleyball schedule was also released, with the team able to play non-conference games for the first time since 2018. Their season begins on Aug. 27, and more information on their season can be found here.
Donnie Druin is a Deputy Editor with AllSunDevils. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSunDevils @AllSunDevils.