Grading Arizona State's Randy Bennett Hiring to Lead Basketball Program

TEMPE -- Randy Bennett is officially set to take the reigns of the Arizona State men's basketball program.

The 63-year old officially agreed to terms on a five-year deal to replace Bobby Hurley at the lead of the program on Monday, which has opened the door to take a turn into a new era.

lm;ml — Mar 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Saint Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett speaks to the team during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Follow key positives surrounding the hire, as well as an ultimate grade from ASU on SI below.

Roster Building

Bennett's roster building has been widely commended as being revolutionary - the 63-year old is credited with being one of the first to popularize targeting international players and developing them in-house.

The winningest coach in the history of the Saint Mary's program has a very defined way of building out his roster - strong ball movement, being mistake-averse, and playing hard-lined defense, which will likely translate well into a physical Big 12 conference.

mml — Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) protects the ball from Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The one concern here is that Bennett typically doesn't target shot creators to be part of his teams - this may be a necessity in the modernized game, as evidenced by how successful the ASU offense tended to be under Moe Odum (hybrid between scorer/facilitator) in 2025-26.

Track Record

Bennett's track record speaks for itself.

The Arizona native won nearly 600 games over the course of his 25 years at Saint Mary's - transforming the Gaels from an obscure program in northern California into one of the most prominent mid-majors.

knm — Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett taks during a press conference for the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bennett's "pro model" approach, regimented approach as a program builder on a yearly basis, and tactical genius that consistently tests other elite coaches - such as Gonzaga's Mark Few - should generate hope for ASU fans.

Ability to Raise ASU's Floor in Big 12

The Big 12 is a brutal conference - full stop.

Bennett will be squaring off with the likes of Grant McCasland (TTU), Jerrod Calhoun (Cincinnati), Tommy Lloyd (Arizona), Scott Drew (Baylor), Kelvin Sampson (Houston), and T.J. Otzelberger (ISU), among other incredible coaches - creating a true super-league of tacticians.

ml;l — Jan 31, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few, right, walks past Saint Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett after a game at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga Bulldogs won 73-65. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Still, Bennett's talent evaluation, regimented approach, position as being demanding of excellence, and bringing a brand of play to the table that will create a higher floor in the incredibly competitive league is sure to translate from very early in the tenure on.

Overall Grade: A-

Overall, Bennett's brand of basketball creates a funnel for a high floor in the regular season, with a ceiling that has potential to be subdued as a product of the brand of play as well. Despite the questions, he is one of the standout tacticians of this generation and seems to be committed to coach at least the five years out of his current contract - if not longer.

Graham Rossini knocked another hire out of the ballpark here.

fwefew — 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