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The Arizona State basketball team will introduce a number of fresh faces in the 2025-26 season. Many of the squad’s new players are coming from overseas.
That was a tactical move made by head coach Bobby Hurley. The Sun Devils did not want to overspend on local talent!
Hurley has been at ASU for a decade. In that time, he’s led the program to three NCAA Tournaments.
The most recent postseason appearance came in 2023. Since, the Sun Devils have gone 27-38 in back-to-back losing campaigns.
Looking to put an end to the slide, Hurley hit the transfer portal in the offseason. He went bargain shopping in a few different instances.
Arizona State added new basketball players.
Hurley landed a Top 10 class in 2024 headlined by the nation’s top recruits. Some of those players have already opted to move on.
The Sun Devils’ top player, five-star center Jayden Quaintance, made an immediate impact on the floor before suffering an injury. He moved onto Kentucky after his freshman year with an NIL valuation just under $2 million.
Quaintance’s time in Tempe was not without drama. Rumors swirled during the season of failed NIL payments. While the center’s camp denied the accusations, a picture was painted of money issues at Arizona State.
There are ongoing rumors about failed promises and unmet payments. The Sun Angel Collective vehemently denies any financial issues. It claims that all financial commitments have been met.
The insinuations referenced a scrapped docuseries expected to follow the 2024 season. When it didn’t happen, anticipated NIL funds linked to the show were not received.
Arizona State paid its roster last year despite the drama. Boosters did their best to pick up the slack. Future NIL dealings, however, remained a bit unclear.
Bobby Hurley went cheaper in 2025.
The Sun Devils added six international players in their most recent recruiting cycle. Hurley explained why this week.
Bobby Hurley on ASU’s six international portal additions:
“It was very expensive for American players. International players were happy to make a significant bump from where they were in Europe…get an education, and play in the best conference in the country.”@DevilsDigest pic.twitter.com/WqxVZiMbgd
— George Lund (@GLundMedia) October 23, 2025
“It was very expensive for American players,” he said of the recruiting strategy. “International players were happy to make a significant bump from where they were in Europe…
“[They can] get an education and play in the best conference in the country.”
Arizona State’s basketball class is a far cry from the Top 10 cycle is saw last year. It is also much less expensive. Hurley believes that despite the headliners, it can be a group that is successful on the floor.
Recent NIL woes may have played a role in that decision. Simply put, the Sun Devils might not have had the money to compete in bidding wars.
Hurley attempted to get the best bang for his buck overseas. We’ll soon see if it pays off.