Arizona State Guard Exits First Half vs. UCLA

TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley has once again hit a potential roadblock in the midst of a 2025-26 Arizona State basketball season that has been more fruitful than it was anticipated to be heading into the season.

The Sun Devils saw another player suffer an injury in Wednesday night's game against the UCLA Bruins, as guard Trevor Best exited the game with 44 seconds remaining in the first half after going down awkwardly on a dribble drive that resulted in an unorthodox shot attempt.

Best - a sophomore and the lone returning scholarship player from the 2024-25 team - was down on the floor for several minutes grabbing what appeared to be his knee before being helped off by training staff.

This is a less-than-ideal development for the roster, as G/F Vijay Wallace is definitively out for the season, G Adanté Holiman has still yet to play this season due to an undisclosed elbow injury, and starting guard Bryce Ford officially was inactive for his second consecutive game after exiting late in last Tuesday's win over Northern Arizona.

Anthony "Pig" Johnson - who started in Ford's place - is currently playing with three fouls as well. This leaves PG Moe Odum and reserve Noah Meeusen as the only two players in the backcourt that will be able to play without any restraint in the second half.

The hope is that Best's injury isn't as significant as it appeared to be in real time, and that the valuable sophomore makes a quick recovery - head coach Bobby Hurley acknowledged the positive asset that he is following the December 6 victory over Oklahoma.

Best Has Impressed Despite Inconsistent Role

"I think the other thing I want to mention is Trevor best too, because that guy, like, you know, he got squeezed a little bit in the rotation, and other guys, you know, kind of stepped up, and he was kind of odd man out, but he he's had a great attitude, he's come into practice every day. Hasn't been a negative. It's been positive to his teammates. And then when he got his number called, he helped us
in first half."

Best only averages eight minutes a contest, but had real potential to break through in the absence of Ford and with Johnson in foul trouble - this development is one that is truly unfortunate.

UCLA leads Arizona State by a score of 45-33, with the second half just starting as of the publishing of this story.

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!