ASU MEN’S BASKETBALL IS ONCE AGAIN BATTLING MASSIVE TURNOVER THIS OFFSEASON

This year, ASU men’s basketball’s star guard broke the single-season steal record – but what has followed has been a nightmarish repeat of last season, during which the Sun Devils saw a mass exodus from within.

This week, sophomore Louisville transfer Kamari Lands became the latest Sun Devil to enter the portal after finishing his second year averaging 4.5 points in Tempe

The recent player transfers and coaching changes have significantly affected the team. Record-holder and junior guard Frankie Collins has left, and the team’s defensive backbone, Jermaine Kimbrough, has taken an assistant coach job with ASU’s next-door neighbor, GCU.

Collins took to Instagram to announce that he was going to enter the transfer portal, keeping ASU in the picture as he cut his list of options down to six. Ultimately, Collins decided to commit to conference opponent TCU.

The TCU program has been to the NCAA Tournament for three straight years.

Most recently, they fell to Utah State in the first round. In 2023, they beat Collins and the Sun Devils but fell in the second round; in 2022, they fell in the same fashion.

Collins’ edge on both ends of the floor was loved in Tempe as a leader on the Sun Devil squad for two seasons. His play style fit perfectly with what ASU tried to build. He was an efficient transition player who could get out and run and then attack the rim with a reverse layup, a jam or a bucket in traffic.