NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Rhode Island of last decade

6. Kimani Lawrence – Arizona State

No ordinary 6’8 forward from Providence, Lawrence had himself quite a collegiate career. A 4-star prospect, he made the long trip across the country, playing for Bobby Hurley over at Arizona State. Across five seasons with the Sun Devils, Lawrence would provide a spark on both sides of the ball and play more games than anyone else in program history.

Lawrence was mostly a reserve as a freshman but earned considerable minutes moving forward. He averaged nearly 15 points a game in his first month as a sophomore before settling into a role off the bench. His scoring and rebounding numbers would rise as his career progressed, averaging 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds a game by the end of his super senior season. He also played in three NCAA Tournament games and had an impressive 21-point, 20-rebound affair in a regular season win over Washington.

There weren’t any prestigious conference honors given to Lawrence, but his presence for the Sun Devils both on and off the court was important to the program. While Arizona State had taken a step back in recent years, Lawrence was a fierce rebounder and important piece for Hurley. He spent a long time with the Sun Devils and played with a lot of different people and his impact on the game of basketball might not be finished yet.