GCU snap up four-star recruit Sammie Yeanay after de-committing from ASU

On May 30, he originally announced on his Instagram account that he had de-committed from Arizona State but kept the school under consideration through his recruitment process.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to reopen my college recruitment,” Yeanay said. “Arizona State is still an option, but I would like to explore all my current options. Thank you coach Bobby Hurley, the ASU coaching staff that recruited me, and everyone in my corner supporting me.”

Yeanay is ranked as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and No. 90 of ESPN’s Top-100 basketball recruits from the class of 2024. The Florida native played this past season at Compass Prep in Chandler and had offers from Alabama, Florida, Houston, Ohio, Virginia Tech, Washington State and Texas Tech. He recently went on officials visit at GCU and Oklahoma State.

According to 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein, Yeanay will use all of his 6-foot-8, 230-pound stature out on the floor as he embrases physicality.

“Yeanay is a strong-bodied forward with a high-motor and physical style,” Finkelstein said. “He’s competitive, powerful, runs the court, and plays hard on both ends of the floor. He came up the ranks as an undersized big man, who was physically mature at a young age and thus able to put up big numbers by overpowering people in the paint. As he’s gotten older, he’s expanded his game and become more versatile in the process. He’s still a definite threat with his back to the basket, who understands how to get deep post position and has good footwork.

“He can also put a lot of pressure on the rim as a face-up driver who almost dares opposing defenders to get in his way with an aggressive downhill style. He’s starting to extend his shooting touch away from the basket and has also shown some flashes of being an underrated passer in high-low action. Defensively, he can body-up and bang with bigger players on the block and has worked to improve his footspeed and lateral quickness when pulled to the perimeter. Yeanay is also an active rebounder on both ends of the floor.”

Yeanay now joins former Sun Devils Duke Brennan and Malcom Flaggs who made the switch to GCU. Lopes star Tyon Grant-Foster is returning to the Lopes for his final season of college basketball after he withdrew from the 2024 NBA Draft.

Grand Canyon finished last season with a 30-6 record and won the WAC under head coach Bryce Drew. The Lopes also won their first NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament game in program history, taking down St. Mary’s  75-66.