Grading Arizona State's Starting Lineup Eight Games Into Season

TEMPE -- In a sport that isn't necessarily marked by wins and losses, the Arizona State Sun Devils will gladly take the 6-2 record they possess at the moment despite placing exactly at number 100 in the initial NCAA NET rankings.

Bobby Hurley has done an exceptional job thus far - whether it's been via managing rotations, constructing an offense that has been productive on a consistent basis, or hiring new assistant coaches that have made a positive impact early on, but how has the starting five he assembled performed?

Arizona State on SI grades the five players that have started every game this season, with five games that are still to be played before Big 12 play is ushered in.

Moe Odum: A

There are few complaints about the starting point guard in the infant stages of the season.

Odum has improved every single season as a collegiate athlete, peaking with averages of over 14 PPG and 7 APG a season ago at Pepperdine.

The jump into Big 12 play may not faze the Bronx native, as he is currently shooting north of 44% from three-point range on high volume, increased scoring volume to 19 PPG, and is still dishing out 6 assists per contest.

Beyond the raw numbers, Odum is presiding over a true overhaul of the Arizona State offense - there is truly a real rhyme to the reason this season, and there's real flow to the unit - a year after struggling to score at times in league play.

lmnl — 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

Bryce Ford: B+

The junior and native of Scottsdale returned home this season after two seasons at Toledo.

Although Ford had a solid sophomore season in the MAC conference, he is certainly exceeding expectations as the starting shooting guard in Hurley's rotation.

The 6'4" sharpshooter has shot 48.6% from deep this season, was arguably the best performing offensive player against Gonzaga, and was surely the catalyst behind two victories (Hawaii/Washington State) in the last two weeks.

There are minimal complaints as far as it comes to Ford's early-season performance, although the defensive output from everyone in the lineup has room for improvement - Ford is set to be a key contributor going into Big 12 play in January.

ewfreger — Nov 26, 2025; Lahaina, HI, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Bryce Ford (4) drives against USC Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara (4) during the first half of a championship match at Lahaina Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Santiago Toruet: C+

Trouet is a 6'11" forward originally hailing from Argentina who spent two seasons at the University of San Diego before transferring to Arizona State.

Trouet's struggles with efficiency have somewhat stuck in Tempe, although he has shot 50% or better from the field in the team's last three games.

The most vital developments here are that the junior has been key when it comes to crashing the glass, as he paces the team in rebounds, as well as continually being one of the most consistent players on the defensive side of the ball for Hurley thus far.

klnnknl — Nov 26, 2025; Lahaina, HI, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Santiago Trouet (1) goes for the net over USC Trojans forward Jacob Cofie (6) during the first half of the championship match at Lahaina Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Andrija Grbovic: C-

It has taken time for the native of Montenegro to get acclimated to the college game, as Grbovic has yet to put together a game with 50% or greater efficiency from the floor.

The junior, to his credit, has knocked down several clutch three-point shots, particularly in the Maui Invitational opener against Texas, as well as pairing up with Trouet to be a challenging duo to size up on the perimeter.

Massamba Diop: B

eweggereerggr — ASU Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) grabs a rebound against the Georgia State Panthers at Desert Financial Arena on Nov. 17, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Diop is a tantalizing talent that has displayed a bit of everything on the floor - as far as his skillset goes.

The freshman who originally hailed from Senegal spent time playing professionally in Spain, it's shown by his ability to handle the ball in certain situations, the two three-point shots that were knocked down in the win over Utah Tech, the high-level, yet inconsistent rim protecting efforts that is marked by 1.4 blocks per game, and by the fairly refined post game that is already in his arsenal.

Nov 26, 2025; Lahaina, HI, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Santiago Trouet (1) goes for the net over the USC Trojans during the first half of the championship match at Lahaina Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Diop is in line to be a legitimate NBA prospect in the future, and is surely going to be a welcome two-man companion for Odum in the pick-and-roll game as the schedule is set to get more challenging in the weeks to come.

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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