Naming Most Consequential Players of Bobby Hurley Era at Arizona State
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TEMPE -- The Bobby Hurley era is now complete at Arizona State.
The 11-year run that began in April of 2015 ended on Wednesday with the announcement that his contract would not be renewed following a 17-16 season in Tempe. While eventually moving on is paramount for the fanbase, there should be time reserved to reflect on both the good and bad of the tenure - with a potential underlying appreciation developing in the process.
Part of the positive reflection is likely to include some of the most iconic players of the Hurley era - the ones that shaped the "guard u" era, the ones that proved that attracting high-level talent to Tempe is attainable, and the ones that took part in incredible moments that took place during those years.
Kimani Lawrence, Kodi Justice, Desmond Cambridge, D.J. Horne, Frankie Collins, Zylan Cheatham, Josh Christopher, and Jayden Quaintance are just a few of many Arizona State alums that built the foundation for the Hurley era in one way or another - but the five below stand above the rest.
Tra Holder
Tra Holder is ones of the most under-appreciated members of Arizona State basketball lore.
The Los Angeles native initially played the first season of his college career under Herb Sendek before opting to remain with the program when the leadership changed.
Holder thrived in his final two seasons with the Sun Devils, including being the catalyst of a start to the 2017-18 season that saw ASU rise to as high as #3 in the AP poll - which included a 40-point showing in a win over ranked Xavier to start the campaign.
Holder is a symbol of the progression that the ASU program made in the early years of Hurley, as well as someone to look at as what being loyal to a program can result in.
Remy Martin
Martin is perhaps the consensus fan-favorite player from the era despite the point guard transferring to Kansas ahead of his final season of eligibility.
Martin took part in some of the most iconic moments of recent history for the Sun Devils, put together some truly special performances in the clutch that put the team in a position to compete in March, and was overall an All-Pac 12 performer for the majority of his stay in Tempe.
Luguentz Dort
Dort was the first player that played under Hurley at ASU to reach the NBA level.
The guard out of Montreal was a highly regarded prospect going into college, and largely delivered in his lone season in Tempe. Dort's relentless mindset and physicality laid the foundation for Hurley's teams later in his tenure.
Moe Odum
Odum spent only one season at ASU, but has been the clearest example that a player making the jump from the mid-major level to power conferences can translate the same production/impact along the way.
The New York native was the ultimate professional over the last several months, organized an offense that was mostly above-average, put together some of the most electrifying performances in recent years for the program, and played a role in the development of players that will potentially be key to the next year-plus of the program.
Massamba Diop
Hurley couldn't have made a better pivot from Quaintance than going to Diop.
The freshman center had an excpetional season in Tempe - showing marked growth as an all-around offensive player, while also earning a spot inside of the top 25 in division one in blocks per game. Retaining Diop will be the top focus for whoever is named the next head coach in the weeks ahead.
Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.