Arizona State Lands Skilled Big Man in Portal

• "What I'm looking forward to is building this program into a program that has a lot of continuity and build where it is a power in the Big 12," Bennett said during his introductory press conference. "There have been flashes, so I don't ever want to diminish what some other peoples' work has been, but that's what I think we can do, and that's what I'm looking forward to. Get Sun Devil basketball back to the top."

• "We're going to fire a shot, great basketball job," Bennett explained. "We're expecting to hit it running in year one. We're starting to build a team. I think you can expect a competitive team, a team that is playing in the NCAA Tournament, a team that's trying to get where they're playing for conference championships. It won't be easy, but it's definitely doable."

What This Signing Means for Arizona State

With the transfer portal officially closing on April 21, the Sun Devils' options have shrunk considerably. Also, center Massamba Diop entered the transfer portal, which left Arizona State with a major void in the front court and without its cornerstone player from here on out.

Diop will prove to be a major loss for Bennett and the Sun Devils, but Defty's production profile will serve Arizona State well in 2026. The sophomore center is an obvious offensive weapon, but he is also a strong rim protector, as he averaged nearly two blocks last season.

Another factor in this acquisition, which is monumental, is that Defty has two years of eligibility remaining, allowing him to potentially develop under Bennett for multiple seasons. With the NIL, that probability is lowered, as players are likely to leave their respective programs after a productive season.

Nevertheless, the former Boston center will be a seamless fit in the 64-year-old head coach's system, and will operate as one of the primary scorers for the Sun Devils this upcoming season.