Ranking ASU’s Best Moves This Offseason

Recalibrating a culture starts with hiring a head coach who can revitalize a dormant climate deprived of postseason success in recent memory. Bringing in Bennett, who led Saint Mary's to 23 winning seasons in 25 years. It was the perfect decision by Arizona State's brass. Here is what the 63-year-old head coach said about his goals and expectations for the program starting in 2026.

• "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 explained. "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. We're expecting to hit it running in year one," he added. "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."

2. Maintaining Connection With Bennett

After beginning his career at Arizona, Paulius Murauskas spent the last two seasons with Bennett at Saint Mary's. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward averaged 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc in 2025.

That type of production is an inviting element to a program that struggled to generate consistent scoring at various points last season. This is why Bennett's hire was monumental; it instantly made the Sun Devils the favorite to land Murauskas once he entered the transfer portal.

3. Replacing Massamba Diop With Skilled Center

When Diop inevitably entered his name in the portal, Arizona State had to prioritize bolstering its frontcourt. Adding Boston transfer Ben Defty was an under-the-radar acquisition by Bennett and the coaching staff.

The 6-foot-11, 255-pound center averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 69.4 percent from the field. Defty is not a multi-faceted big man; he predominantly operates in the paint. Nevertheless, Defty's ability to impose his will offensively while altering countless shots on defense will prove instrumental in Arizona State's reclamation project.