Why Arizona State Should Focus on Interior Centered Roster Building

There are several benefits for the Sun Devils building around the front-line moving forward.

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

TEMPE -- Arizona State's guard-heavy approach to several individual teams during the Bobby Hurley era flashed moments of brilliance, but eventually fizzled out, with the 2025-26 roster taking the shape of a more balanced squad overall.

The potential hiring of Randy Bennett as the next head coach of the program will reignite debate surrounding what approach Arizona State should take - ASU on SI makes the case as to why the frontcourt should be prioritized to a larger scale compared to the past.

Elite Head Coach Brings Valid Point to Table

Florida head coach Todd Golden - the leader of last season's national champs - made the case that the prior wave of perimeter-centric roster building largely fizzled out due to the volatility that spacing the floor out and indescriminately attempting three-point looks brings.

Now, a majority of the best of the best in the nation this season (Michigan, Arizona, Duke, Florida) excel in one or more areas that are typically influenced by the front-line of a roster - rebounding, rim protection, and play finishing.

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) celebrates a three pointer against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While those teams will obviously attempt a healthy amount of threes, they don't quite operate the same way as the more volatile teams that remain in the tournament (Arkansas/Alabama) - they tend to thrive on playing percentages and making the highest efficiency plays on different in-game situations that they possibly can.

Why Arizona State Should Take This to Heart

If Bennett is the hire, the Sun Devils absolutely need to follow this blueprint. While it's doubtful that the NIL funds will be able to compete with some of the best (such as the programs mentioned above), there would certainly be an increased ceiling in the Big 12 with a more balanced approach that mirrored the 2025-26 team.

Massamba Diop is the key to unlocking this - as the upcoming sophomore big man proved to be one of the most feared bigs in the best conference in basketball this past season. Diop is an ideal building block for an offense that is predicated on ball movement and efficiency. Beyond Diop, the program must bulk up on the big position. Santiago Trouet did an admirable job as a regular starter, but his slim frame makes him a more natural four compared to playing center.

Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) protects the ball from Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

This absolutely isn't an argument for a bigs-only roster - as rostering a player in similar spirit of Moe Odum should be prioritized - however, the last guard-heavy team to win a national title is none other than the 2020-21 Baylor Bears.

The Sun Devils absolutely need to evolve to raise the floor of the program moving forward - perhaps even the ceiling in the long run.