Arizona State Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Sun Devils

Key reserves

Jaelen House

House is one of those guys that is going to be fun to watch whenever he steps on the court. He’s a dynamite offensive player with step-in-the-gym range and is excellent at creating for himself off the dribble. The 6-2, 160-pounder is also a capable defender. House needs to get stronger and improve his finishing ability (which will come with added strength), but he’ll be perfect in the gunner-off-the-bench role. Expect him to win a few games by himself when he gets hot.

Khalid Thomas

A JUCO transfer who picked the Sun Devils over Oregon, Thomas fills an immediate need in the frontcourt and will play a major role right away. The No. 2 ranked JUCO prospect will likely start some games against bigger teams and contribute with his size and perimeter shooting ability.

Elias Valtonen

Valtonen was only used in a minor role a season ago but is a knockdown shooter – perhaps the best on the roster – and has a solid all-around offensive game. His skill set is still a step behind Edwards and Lawrence on the wing, but the Finland native should see a good deal of playing time.

Mickey Mitchell

Mitchell’s career at Arizona State has not gone as planned, but he will find a place in this rotation thanks to his passing and rebounding at 6-7 and 225 pounds. His experience as the oldest player on the team is a plus, too.

Jalen Graham

The 6-9, 205-pound freshmen may see some playing time simply out of necessity as Arizona State’s third true big man. He will be used in short spurts for his shot-blocking ability and rebounding.

Alonzo Verge Jr.

Verge is another scorer who produced at a high level in both high school and in the JUCO ranks. He’ll see the court because of that ability, but how long he stays on the court will depend on how much he improves in the other areas of the game.