2025-26 ASU basketball preview
Even in the age of NIL and a robust transfer portal, few programs have gone through the transformation that Arizona State has for the upcoming campaign. Returning one player from last year’s squad, adding seven international players, and featuring the tallest roster ever seen in Tempe, with eight players listed at 6-foot-8 or taller, are the notable traits that define head coach Bobby Hurley’s 2025-26 roster.
By all accounts, the two exhibition games played in recent weeks have demonstrated a group of players that have meshed well together despite the fact that some arrived here in early summer, while some set foot in Tempe a couple of weeks into the fall semester. There is certainly an underlying sense of hunger and motivation on this team, as none of the players were part of the NCAA Tournament, a goal that naturally drives each and every member of this roster. The work ethic has been hard to ignore during their performance.
“Last year’s group, I enjoyed coaching them,” Hurley said. “They had a very high upside, but we never reached it. This team, I don’t know if the upside is as high. But (I like) the coachability, the attitude, how they conduct themselves every day…they’ve been very push-button to work with. Very enjoyable to coach. I think they genuinely like each other.”
In jersey number order, let’s get to know the Sun Devils’ scholarship players on the 2025-26 roster.
#1 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Santiago Trouet
The Argentine native averaged 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 33 games with 25 starts at the University of San Diego last year. He posted 43.7 percent shooting from the field and 71.9 percent from the free-throw line during that season. According to Hurley, it has been “really a pleasant surprise relative to his point production and his stats last year.” Even as an underclassman, he has extensive international experience and played on both Argentina’s U18 and U19 teams at the FIBA World Championships. Like most foreign players, Trouet has showcased sound fundamentals, above-average shooting, and ball-handling skills for a player his size, along with strong rebounding. He figures to be heavy in the rotation for ASU, perhaps even as a starter.
#2 6-foot-2 senior guard Anthony “Pig’ Johnson
The first-team NAIA All-American selection from the University of Cumberlands (Kentucky) averaged 23.6 ppg last season, good for fourth among all NAIA players, shooting at a 48.1 percent clip from the field and 34.5 percent from 3-point range. He also showcased a well-rounded game, averaging 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. In ASU’s exhibition game against Texas A&M, he paced all players on the floor with 26 points, 9-15 from the floor, 2-4 from 3-point range, and 7-8 at the line, along with seven rebounds and five assists.
“Anthony Pig Johnson should be like what our identity is,” Hurley noted. “He had 27 points against Texas A&M, who is in a power conference. There are basketball players everywhere, and we were able to really find a guy like him that just plays with a lot of passion and can really run and has a motor. So, I’m happy for a kid like that. That’s a great story. We have to try and be a good story this year.”
Johnson is also known as one of the most vocal leaders on the team, who can lead by example with his relentless effort. Even though one exhibition game is a small sample size, there is little doubt that Johnson could ultimately be one of ASU’s key players.
#3 5-foot-11 senior guard Adante Holiman
The standout player at Georgia Southern and third-team all-conference selection was the Sun Belt Conference’s leading scorer last season, averaging 16.9 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds. In the 25 games he played, he shot 41.8 percent from the field, averaged 38.6 percent on his 3-point shooting, placing him third in the Sun Belt, while his 3.2 3-point made basket average placed him second in the conference. He is also a deft free throw shooter at 80 percent.
Holiman is one of several players who have been banged up for a while in the preseason, so it may be hard to predict his level of contribution until he’s fully healthy.
#4 6-foot-4 junior guard Bryce Ford
Another player that relative to his stats last year has been a pleasant surprise with his performance. The transfer from Toledo, who prepped locally at Phoenix Pinnacle High School, averaged 7.1 points, shooting 43.1 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from 3-point range, and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe. He enjoyed a steady increase in his play last year and started the final 20 games of the season, averaging 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds over 21.8 minutes during that stretch.
Ford has shown himself to be both a talented shooter and a player who balances his game with tenacious defense. The physical nature of his game allows him to make both contested shots and effectively guard his opponent. This is a true homecoming for Ford, who is the younger brother of former ASU Volleyball player Alyse Ford, who played in Tempe some seven years ago.
#5 6-foot-2 senior guard Moe Odom
By far the steal among all transfers added to ASU this year. Growing up in New York and playing point guard, he’s a player who idolizes Hurley, which was certainly a big reason why he chose the Sun Devils. Playing for Pepperdine last year, Odum was fourth overall nationally, averaging 7.5 assists, and tallied 10 or more assists in eight games. He posted a 13.1 points per game average as well at a 45.3 percent clip from the field, 37.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 79.3 percent from the free-throw line.
He will be the unquestionable floor general for ASU, if not a barometer of success for the team. He has definitely come as advertised, getting his teammates involved in the offense, and while he’s less of a shooter than outgoing ASU point guard Alston Mason, he figures to be a formidable shooting threat and is an underrated defender. His competitiveness and leadership have been hard to ignore, and his connection with Hurley could be invaluable to the team’s success.
“He plays with that confidence,” Hurley commented on Odum. “He’s a true point guard. He’s a leader, and he plays to win. I think his teammates really enjoy playing with him because of his feel for the game and his ability to find the open man. That’s why he was fourth in the country in assists. He’s been fantastic since day one.
“He’s just a playmaker, and guys enjoy playing with him. If you’re someone who just wants to be ball-dominant, it may not work with so many new guys. I think they’re organically and naturally moving the ball, sharing the ball, playing together.”
#7 6-foot-5 junior guard Vijay Wallace
An unfortunate ankle dislocation suffered in the Texas A&M exhibition game has led to season-ending surgery for arguably ASU’s best wing player. It will surely be a challenge to replace the junior college transfer who had demonstrated that he could have been an integral part of this year’s team both as a versatile scorer and an elite defender.
Last season at Triton College (Illinois), he averaged 15.7 points, shooting 47.2 percent from the field, as well as averaging 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and was voted NJCAA second-team all-region. Since he hasn’t run out of eligibility, Wallace could still suit up for the Sun Devils next season.
#8 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Marcus Adams Jr.
One of the highest rated transfers ASU landed in the offseason, and was a four-star rated transfer and recruit out of Harbor City (Calif.) Nathaniel Narbonne High School. Adams was a former Kansas and Gonzaga pledge and ultimately joined BYU and medically redshirted after playing one game and suffering a foot injury. While he was planning to suit up for the Cougars in the 2024-25 campaign, he transferred closer to his Southern California home due to the passing of his father and signed with Cal State-Northridge.
Adams averaged 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds this past season and earned second-team All-Big West honors. He was instrumental in the Matadors’ 22-11 season, where he shot 52.6% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range, and scored 20 points in 11 of Cal State-Northridge’s games this past season.
Adams was also banged up for a long stretch of the preseason, but should be healthy and ready to go for the season opener on November 4. He’s someone who could very well end up as Arizona State’s leading scorer, very adaptable on the offensive end, and capable of creating mismatch problems. Hurley anticipated that Adams would see restricted minutes when his team begins play, but the more minutes he can get, the bigger impact he could have on the offense.
#11 6-foot-10 freshman forward Kash Polk
The only high school 2025 recruit on this ASU roster. During the preseason has shown good development and competitiveness. If he continues on this trajectory, he may find himself getting some minutes on a roster that is very frontcourt-heavy. He was rated as a Top 20 recruit in Texas and the No. 34 center in his class.
#12 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Trevor Best
The lone returning player from last year, and as a reminder, he only arrived in Tempe mid-season for the spring semester. Even as a newcomer in a shortened college season for him, he showed some flashes and had a breakout game against BYU, scoring 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting while adding a pair of assists and steals. Overall, he averaged 3.6 points in 12.7 minutes per game.
Overall, Best has a fairly good foundation to build on and has developed his skills on both ends of the floor. His performance could be elevated by default since he assumed more of a leadership role, helping many of the newcomers adjust to life on and off the court at ASU. Having a shorter acclimation process than his teammates can increase his chances of getting more playing time.
#14 6-foot-11 junior forward Andrija Grbovic
One of multiple players who already have a few seasons of European professional basketball under their belt. Last season, he posted averages of 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for SC Derby in the Adriatic League. Has the qualities of a classic stretch-four with great range (44.7 percent last season from 3-point) and is a pure shooter. Another player who showed well against Texas A&M, tallying 17 points and shooting 6-12 from the floor.
Grbovic’s best attribute is shooting the 3, and he can play some post-up forward as well, a quality that can serve him well, as he’s a good passer and a high-IQ player who showcases the experience he’s acquired. Among the newcomers, he’s one player we could see ASU heavily relying on.
#15 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Noah Meeusen
One of the last players to arrive on the team could also be one of the more important pieces on this roster. The Belgian native played in his home country’s professional league for Oostende. He is a true combo guard with good size, who averaged 5.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 rebounds. Shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range, he figures to be one of the best shooters for the Sun Devils.
His performance in the exhibition games was in sharp contrast to his formidable display in practices, where he complements Odum very well as the other starting guard. And that can be a function of still adjusting to the higher pace of the American game, let alone arriving in September.
While he’s a player who is expected to be counted on as a significant contributor, a recent ankle injury has ruled him out of action for the next few weeks, according to Hurley. Remains to be seen whether this increases his learning curve or whether he hits the ground running once he’s back on the floor.
#23 6-foot-8 grad forward Allen Mukeba
The forward also missed several weeks of preseason practices due to injury, but is expected to play limited minutes in the season opener, and the physicality element he brings to the floor will be a much-welcomed sight for ASU. His intensity on both ends of the court has raised the level of play of his teammates, an invaluable asset for the Sun Devils.
Mukeba, a native Belgian, is coming off his best year, where he earned second-team All-Horizon League honors. Last season, playing for Oakland, he averaged 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, shooting 56.9 percent from the field. When healthy, he figures to have a good chance of being a starter for Arizona State.
#24 7-foot-1 freshman center Dame Salane
The Senegal native attended several U.S. prep schools, including the famed Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, before playing last year for Lugano in the Swiss professional league. During that year, he averaged 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks.
He’s a late arrival to the team and needs to improve his physicality before he can be truly counted on as a rotation player. Obviously, his size is intriguing, and he isn’t only a rim protector but also a good shooter. Time will tell how steep his learning curve will be, and that will determine how much he can be counted on this year.
#35 7-foot-1 freshman center Massamba Diop
Another Senegal native on the roster, standing 7-foot-1, and arguably the best international addition for the team. Diop arrived as a physical player on both ends of the court and runs the floor well, showcasing a soft touch on his jumper. The well-roundedness of his game has been impressive, and he’s penciled in as the starting center; he’ll be someone the Sun Devils will lean on quite a bit.
Last season, when playing for Gran Canaria’s B team in Spain’s professional league, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting 62.2 percent from the field and 74.5 percent from the free-throw line.
#70 6-foot-9 freshman forward Jovan Ićitović
Ićitović has been dealing with a serious injury and is not expected to play this upcoming season. He’s considered a developmental player with his best basketball still ahead of him.
Last season, the Serbian native played for KK Real Beograd U19, averaging 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, shooting 40.9% from 3-point range.
