Former Arizona State Stars Thriving Elsewhere After Messy 2024-25 Season

TEMPE -- The 2025-26 Arizona State basketball season has largely exceeded expectations in year 11 of the Bobby Hurley experience, posting a 9-4 record heading into the Big 12 opener against the Colorado Buffaloes on Jan 3.

A combination of largely consistent floor-spacing, timely defensive playmaking, and overall team chemistry backs up the start that has the team sitting on the edge of the NCAA tournament bubble - former stars are thriving elsewhere in their own right after a tumultuous 2024-25 season.

eeggerg — ASU head coach Bobby Hurley high-fives center Jayden Quaintance (21) as he comes to the bench during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Jan. 25, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jayden Quaintance Recently Returned From Injury

Quaintance, now 18, become one of the highest rated recruits to ever commit to the Sun Devil program via the class of 2025.

The talented PF/C flashed a great deal in his freshman season, including 11 games of scoring in double figures and being amongst the leaders in blocks per game.

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Adidas shoes with Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky logo worn by Sun Devils guard Frankie Collins (1) in the second half against the Utah Utes at the T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Unfortunately, Quaintance suffered a partially torn ACL at some point in February, gifting a parting performance of 18 points and eight rebounds in a Feb 23 game against Kansas State before undergoing surgery.

Now, the sophomore is firmly entrenched as an impact player for Kentucky, as his return game against Saint John's on Dec 20 yielded a 10-point, eight-rebound, two-block showing.

Joson Sanon is Solid Starter in Big East

Sanon had a six-game stretch between Nov 14 and Dec 3 last season in which he scored at least 19 points, as well as scoring at least 16 points in each of the final four games as a Sun Devil.

In between was a frustrating stretch in which the All-American talent struggled with injuries and finding footing on a guard-heavy roster.

Now, Sanon is a sophomore who has fit nicely into Rick Pitino's culture and has become a reliable starter for the program.

wefeffe — Mar 8, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Joson Sanon (3) shoots a jumper during the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

What Lies Ahead for ASU in 2025-26?

Arizona State is set to embark on a grueling 18-game Big 12 stretch - beginning with a Jan 3 home date against Colorado.

The schedule features road games against top-10 teams in Brigham Young, Arizona, Houston, and Iowa State. The Sun Devils are set to host Texas Tech and Kansas as well, in what will be opportunities to secure a marquee victory. They will face Colorado, Utah, and Arizona twice each, while every other program will be faced once.

While this team doesn't have the "well-known" star power that the previous team did, they are well-positioned to make a run at an NCAA tournament appearance for the first time since 2022-23.

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.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!