ASU’s Odum, Mukeba Embrace Big 12 Competition

TEMPE -- The Arizona State men's basketball program is entering its second season in the Big 12, which many consider the premier league in all of Division I.

The 2025-26 Big 12 will feature high-profile freshmen such as BYU's AJ Dybantsta, Arizona's Koa Peat, and Kansas's Darryn Peterson, while also boasting elite veteran talents such as Texas Tech's JT Toppin.

Bobby Hurley's team went 4-16 in league play a season ago, but that doesn't seem to deter current stars Moe Odum and Allen Mukeba from being motivated to be at their best when both were asked in their media availability on Thursday.

Mukeba, Odum are Ready to Play in Big 12

"We always want to play at the highest level, and now we're about to play against people that you know that are really great,' said Mukeba during his part of the response. 'Yeah, I'm just looking forward to play against, like I said, it's not a first for me, so."

"I'm looking forward to it just to play against the top challenges in the country, just going out there and playing hard."

Those were the words of Odum, who once stated that it was always a goal of his to play at Arizona State.

Odum has been widely viewed as the player who will be the de facto leader of the 2025-26 squad, while Mukeba brings physicality to the table that will be more than welcomed against pro-level talent.

What is Arizona State's Season Outlook?

The Sun Devils were projected to finish 16th (out of 16) teams in the preseason poll, for both media and coaches.

The tempered expectations and lack of attention don't surprise Odum - they don't place a chip on his shoulder either.

"No, we definitely have a new team. So you can't really predict us. Only you only couldn't really predict us. Last you know, we only we. Last you know, we only made major players new team. They had, it was not a good season last year, so they don't really expect much out of and it's not a surprise. So now all we have to do is go out there, play our hardest, shock the world. So that's up to us. Do it together."