Where ASU Men’s Basketball Is Projected to Finish in Big 12
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TEMPE -- The 2024-25 rendition of Arizona State men's basketball did not go according to plan - as the team went 13-20 in Bobby Hurley's 10th season despite adding three high-profile recruits and numerous proven shot-makers to the roster in the months before the start of the campaign.
The program's worst mark in the tenure of Hurley as head coach resulted in a mass exodus, as the vast majority of the roster either exhausted their eligibility or transferred elsewhere, namely prized center Jayden Quaintance, who opted to make the move to the Kentucky Wildcats.
Hurley's mission over the last several months has been very direct - finding a deeper roster (utilizing every available scholarship), creating a more veteran-laden culture, and securing a traditional point guard that would be a contrast to previous players at the position.
Hurley succeeded in all three - as the roster has been filled out with scholarship players, the majority of rostered players either have experience at the collegiate level or overseas, and PG Moe Odum comes to Tempe having averaged over 7 assists per contest at Pepperdine last season.
While there is a fair amount of intrigue surrounding the 2025-26 Sun Devil team simply due to the unorthodox manner in which the roster was built - Big 12 coaches didn't necessarily buy into the strategy, as Arizona State was projected to finish 16th in the preseason poll that was unveiled on Thursday morning.
The 2025-26 #Big12MBB Preseason Coaches Poll is official 📊 pic.twitter.com/CnIe8aiJbs
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 16, 2025
Potential reasons behind Arizona State's low placement include the fact that the majority of collegiate experience on the roster has come from mid-major programs, the potential for Hurley's contract-year status to be a distraction, and the unclear nature of what the wing positions will look like in Tempe.
College basketball insider Jon Rothstein - in a more optimistic perspective - believes that the Sun Devils have the potential to surprise this season if players at the wing spots emerge as positive impacts on a consistent basis.
Marcus Adams Jr. figures to be one of the best players on the roster this season after averaging over 16 points per contest at Cal-State Northridge last season, although the 6'8" wing is currently out with an injury. The hope is he returns prior to the season opening game.
The uncertainty around the men's basketball program this season is palpable - but Hurley has typically proven to do his best work when no one expects success to come to fruition.
The Sun Devils open the season at home on November 4 against Southern Utah.
Stay tuned, as Arizona State on SI will have media availability coming soon for both the men's and women's basketball programs.
Read more about Arizona State basketball coach Bobby Hurley speaking directly to fans ahead of the start of the 2025 season here, and on three major takeaways from the 42-10 loss to Utah here.
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.