Potential Arizona State Basketball Opening Could Garner Real Interest

The Sun Devils might be in position to land a strong coaching candidate - if the job opens up.

Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini speaks to Michelle Gardner, ASU sports reporter for The Arizona Republic, as the countdown to the NCAA Women's Final Four begins at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Feb. 24, 2026. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Tuesday night's game for the Arizona State Sun Devils marks the final home contest of the 2025-26 season - and perhaps the final home game of Bobby Hurley's 11-season tenure at the helm.

The widely held belief is that Hurley will not be handed a contract extension following the season, as his contract is set to expire in June - although nothing is confirmed one way or the other to this point.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports believes that the Sun Devils' job is all but set to be vacant in the weeks ahead - with some optimism that the allure of the job will open up some interesting possibilities during the potential job search.

Feb 28, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley against the Utah Utes in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arizona State Job is Reportedly Sneaky Attractive

"There is no doubt here. Bobby Hurley is coaching out the string at Arizona State on the final year of his contract and will leave Tempe after 11 seasons. All told, Hurley is the second-best ASU coach in history both in terms of total wins and NCAA Tournament appearances (he made runs in 2018, 2019 and 2023). It's time for a change, and agents in the industry have been bracing for the vacancy for essentially a year. The job might not be in the top half of power-conference programs, but even in spite of that, I get the sense this opening will attract some viable and interesting candidates due to having low-level expectations in a good location."

Off the top of everything - the notion that expectations are low is potentially valid at the moment, but that absolutely has potential to change as a widespread effort to elevate athletics under AD Graham Rossini has taken center stage. Arizona State is historically a challenging job for men's basketball, but there have been signs of a potential program breakout over the last 20 years - does being a member of the Big 12 open the door more?

Location is another major topic of conversation, as Tempe is seen as one of the premier destinations west of the Mississippi - a warm-weather destination that is slated to be a recruiting hotbed and a place to build something potentially special long-term.

Nov 7, 2009; Tempe, AZ, USA; General view of the exterior of the Wells Fargo Arena on the campus of Arizona State. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Beyond the two areas mentioned above, the home arena (Desert Financial Arena) is set to undergo major renovations, while there is certainly potential for Rossini to push an effort to boost NIL in the years to come. Competing in the backdrop of an elite conference in the Big 12 is another major drawing point for rising coaches in the sport.

Who would potentially be candidates that are attainable?

March 14, 2009; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard James Harden (13) holds back Southern California Trojans forward Leonard Washington (4) during the first half of the championship game of the Pac-10 tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Arizona State's Potential Coaching Candidates

There are currently four rising coaches through the mid-major pipeline that Rossini should absolutely kick the tires on. Josh Schertz of Saint Louis won over 300 games at division two Lincoln Memorial before rebuilding Indiana State and Saint Louis into legitimate mid-major powers in a short time. Travis Steele of Miami (OH) is a young, energetic coach that is currently leading the only undefeated team in division one. New Mexico head coach Eric Olen has over a decade of track record in regards to winning at a high level in division one, while Utah State's Jerrod Calhoun potentially makes the most sense of the group.

Veteran head coaches in Saint Mary's Randy Bennett and Creighton's Greg McDermott are also viable candidates at the surface. Bennett is a native of Arizona, now has an incentive to leave Saint Mary's due to Gonzaga leaving the WCC, and would have a high ceiling with more resources, while McDermott has been linked to ASU for roughly one year now. the concern with McDermott is that the arrangement may not be a long-term one, so a several-year commitment may need to take place.

Grand Canyon's Bryce Drew serves as an "obvious" selection, as Drew took both Valparaiso and Vanderbilt to the NCAA tournament before taking the Antelopes to the next level over the last several seasons.

ASU president Michael M. Crow, new women's basketball head coach Molly Miller, and athletic director Graham Rossini (right) during a news conference at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix on March 26, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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