Pac-12 Basketball: Early efforts by coaches viewed on the hot seat

Bobby Hurley (60- 54) Arizona State

Having Bobby Hurley on this list is surprising, not for the fact that he should not be on the hot seat, but it may surprise some that he is still the head coach of Arizona State Basketball. Athletic Director Ray Anderson wasted little time putting to rest any doubt of Hurley’s return to the Sun Devils, as on March 4, 2022, it was confirmed that Hurley would be returning.

A 10-10 conference record placed Arizona State eighth in the PAC-12 and had them missing the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and four out of six – non COVID – years. With two years remaining on his contract expectations accompany the almost three million per year he is earning.

His freshmen

Coach Hurley peaked as a recruiter in preparation for the 2020-21 season when he put together the No.  9 ranked freshman class. Coming into the 2022-23 season the Sun Devils will be welcoming the No. 39 class. The good news for Coach Hurley, having Josh Christopher and Marcus Bagley as freshmen only equated to a 7-10 conference record.

This season will see Coach Hurley welcome top 100 recruit Austin Nunez. The 6’2 left-handed point guard is able to penetrate with either hand in order to execute a floater when he gets into the paint. His ability to hit from beyond the arc when given room, will provide a solid backup for leading scorer DJ Horne. Hillcrest Prep center, 6’10 Duke Brennan is a top 200 recruit, that will be able to compete for minutes with Enoch Boakye off the bench.

The transfer portal

There is no shortage of players entering the portal as the Sun Devils currently have six players who have entered. Three of them were freshmen who did not play during the 2021-22 season, while two played significant roles. The departure of Jalen Green who started 22 of the 29 games he played will be taking his 23-plus minutes and ten points per game to Arkansas.

Also contributing to the warming of Hurley’s seat is over ten points per game guard, Jordan Heath. After starting 17 of 28 games and averaging over 28 minutes per game the Sun Devils’ second-leading scorer is transferring to Georgetown. Coach Hurley will not only be losing starting players to the portal but will be receiving some as well. Warren Washington, a 6’11 center from Nevada will quickly become Coach Hurley’s starting center after averaging more than 10 points in almost 24 minutes per game.

Accompanying Washington from Nevada will be a 6’4 shooting guard Desmond Cambridge who averaged over 16 points in more than 32 minutes per game. While Desmond Cambridge will be starting for the Sun Devils in 2022-23, his brother Devan Cambridge who averaged five points in almost 20 minutes with Auburn will be coming off the bench.

In the end, Hurley has improved his team, and consequently, improved his chances of getting off the hot seat, or he has increased expectations and will be that much more uncomfortable on the hot seat if he does not have early success in conference play.