Arizona State Basketball

If Marcus Bagley is ever going to join his brother Marvin in the NBA, it will be after a stop at Arizona State.

The younger Bagley is a member of the 2020 recruiting class and announced he picked the Sun Devils on Monday:

Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com noted Bagley chose Arizona State as part of a final three that included Arizona and California. While the 6’7" and 220-pound forward is partially known for being the younger brother of a Sacramento Kings player, he has already turned heads as a college prospect in his own right.

According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, he is a 4-star prospect and the No. 50 overall player, No. 14 small forward and No. 8 player from the state of California in his class. 

Borzello pointed out there is an Arizona State connection beyond the fact Marvin played nearby at Corona del Sol high school in Tempe, Arizona. Bagley's grandfather, Joe Caldwell, played at Arizona State and had his number retired by the Pac-12 school before he laced it up for the Detroit Pistons and St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks in the NBA.

The ESPN report called Arizona State a "heavy favorite down the stretch" for Bagley and noted Arizona never officially extended a scholarship offer.

Bagley's length and versatility make him stand out as someone who can play multiple positions and handle the ball from a forward spot. He possesses the athleticism to attack the basket but is also capable of scoring with his jumper and can bother perimeter shooters with his length on the defensive end.

Josh Gershon of 247Sports called Bagley's "pure scoring ability" his best trait on the floor because he "can efficiently score from all three levels."

Arizona State hasn't made it past the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament since the 1994-95 campaign but is trending in the right direction under head coach Bobby Hurley. It made back-to-back Big Dances the last two years, marking the first time it accomplished such a feat since 1980 and 1981.

Landing playmakers like Bagley is a surefire way to ensure the program's improvement continues.

In 2017-18, the Arizona State Sun Devils lost in the First Four under head coach Bobby Hurley. In 2018-19, the Hurley-led Sun Devils won their First Four game before falling in the first round of the NCAA tournament. And Thursday night, Hurley announced that he intends to keep inching the program forward: 

Though an extension is not yet finalized, Hurley's comments may end speculation the 47-year-old might be leaving to accept the vacant head coaching position at St. John's. 

Earlier Thursday, the New York Post's Zach Braziller reported St. John's focus had shifted toward Iona head coach Tim Cluess rather than Hurley.

Even if Hurley hadn't clarified he and Arizona State are in negotiations to extend his stay, his current contract has him locked up through 2023—as Braziller noted, that would have necessitated "a hefty buyout."

While Hurley did not disclose any details regarding his expected extension, Stadium's Jeff Goodman reported the two sides have already agreed to a five-year extension.

Ironically, Hurley's Sun Devils defeated St. John's in the First Four to gain entry into the NCAA tournament. He was linked to St. John's after Chris Mullins stepped down as head coach on Tuesday.

Arizona State finished this season 23-11 after falling to Buffalo in the first round on March 22. 

Hurley began as head coach at Arizona State in 2015 following two .500-plus seasons at Buffalo. His time in Tempe has been a steady build with the first two seasons finishing below .500. 

As a guard at Duke from 1989-1993, Hurley won two national championships and became the NCAA all-time leader in assists. His foray into coaching came after a bumpy NBA career. Hurley was involved in a nearly fatal car accident in 1993 as a rookie point guard for the Sacramento Kings.

He miraculously went on to play for the Kings until 1997-98 before finishing his career that season with the then-Vancouver Grizzlies. His first game back from the accident, coincidentally, came on Nov. 4, 1994, at the Phoenix Suns (h/t ABC15).

Hurley hinted at how firmly his roots are planted in Arizona when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Arizona Diamondbacks' first home game April 5:

Arizona is part of his history, and he'll now look to bring Arizona State its first men's basketball championship.