Arizona State Athletic Director Mum on Future of Head Coach

The ASU athletic department has a major decision to make in the weeks ahead.

Sep 13, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devil Athletic Director Graham Rossini during a game against Texas State Bobcats at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- While the 2025-26 Arizona State basketball season was injected with new life after defeating Texas Tech on Tuesday, pertinent questions still remain surrounding the future of head coach Bobby Hurley.

The 11th-year head coach was not given a contract extension last spring after a 13-20 season, with AD Graham Rossini simply opting to allow Hurley to finish out the final season of the contract.

The expectation has been that Hurley would need to lead the Sun Devils to at least an NCAA tournament berth to earn another contract before his deal expires at the end of June - which the door has been opened for heading into the last week of February.

Feb 4, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts after a play against the Utah Utes during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Rossini was relatively neutral on the topic when asked during a Thursday morning on local radio show "Bickley and Marotta" - not revealing too much in the process.

Hurley Remains in Uphill Climb to Receive Extension

Arizona State's recent surge has been noted by Rossini, which leaves the door cracked for a reunion with Hurley after the season, although the widespread belief is that this will be it for the veteran.

"We'll see how the season plays out. I have tons of respect for Bobby; he's been here for 11 years. We're not ready to make a decision either way, and the team is playing harder and harder."

Hurley's accomplishments at the helm of a program that hasn't typically been kind to any coach that has served in the role simply cannot be ignored.

Hurley has taken the Sun Devils to three different NCAA tournament appearances, has put the program on the map once again in the spirit of recruiting elite prospects, has won 14 games against ranked opponents, and cultivated one of the greatest atmospheres in all of college basketball prior to the pandemic.

Jan 10, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley with center Massamba Diop (35) against the Kansas State Wildcats in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A stagnation of the program over the last three years has catalyzed many in the fanbase to decide that it is time to move on - but the New Jersey native won't go down without a fight. The Sun Devils have five regular season games remaining, as well as at least one game in the Kansas City based Big 12 tournament just over two weeks from now.

The Sun Devils' first task at hand in an effort to reach the tournament is a pair of road games against Texas-based programs (Baylor, TCU) before closing out the season against two ranked opponents in Kansas and Iowa State.

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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