Massamba Diop Shocks ASU Fan Base With Latest Announcement

TEMPE -- It appears as if the first offseason with Randy Bennett in the fold with the Arizona State men's basketball program will require a greater roster retooling effort than previously anticipated.

Kash Polk, Adante Holiman, and Marcus Adams Jr. were more expected departures in recent weeks, but the last two days can be best described as a "gut-punch" to the Sun Devils.

l;kkl — Arizona State guard Noah Meeusen (15) reacts after making a layup and drawing a foul against Cincinnati during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 24, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Guard Noah Meeusen entered the portal in the early hours of Tuesday after one season in Tempe, center and foundational piece Massamba Diop followed on Wednesday afternoon in an unfortunate twist of events for Bennett's program.

Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports were the first to report the breaking news.

l;ml — ASU Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) dunks the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on March 3, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was also noted that Diop entered with a "do not contact" tag, suggesting that the rising big man has an idea of his next destination. Expect programs such as Duke, Kentucky, UConn, Kansas, and others to be heavily involved in the process, but a return to Tempe now feels incredibly unlikely.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley yells out to his team as they play the Kansas Jayhawks at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, on March 3, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Diop Meant to Arizona State

Diop became a symbol of patience paying off for Bobby Hurley in his final season as the head coach at Arizona State, as the Senegalese talent had been playing in Spain when he was identified by the ASU coaching staff.

knnk — Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) grabs a rebound against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The 7'1" force quickly became a standout over the final several weeks leading into the season opener and ultimately became proof that the international player route is a more than worthy way to go in the roster-building sphere.

The unfortunate fallout from Diop's exceptional freshman season is that there are now programs that are intently focused on his services and have much more robust financial backing than the Sun Devils, although there are avenues for Bennett to rebound from a huge loss.

Jan 31, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Saint Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett talks with his bench during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

How Arizona State Bounces Back From Loss

The most out-in-front solution to replace Diop lies in Bennett's former center at Saint Mary's, in Andrew McKeever.

Make no mistake - the 7'2" center doesn't have Diop's post scoring skill, shooting touch, or sheer ability to disrupt opposing players at the rim, but he does bring many positives to the table that make this reunion a palpable one.

McKeever is functional - even proficient - as a screener/play finisher, while also flashing as a passer on the high block. He isn't quite a game-changing defender, but he knows Bennett's system well and is more than passable as a rim protector. The best trait in McKeever's game is his elite rebounding ability, which surpasses what Diop has shown thus far. The soon-to-be junior draws many parallels between past players of similar stature - such as Donovan Clingan - in the rebounding department.