Randy Bennett in Serious Talks to Become Arizona State’s Next Head Coach – What We Know So Far

Arizona State University has finalized a five-year deal to make longtime Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett the next leader of the Sun Devils men’s basketball program, replacing Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons. The 63-year-old Mesa native leaves Moraga as Saint Mary’s all-time wins leader with a 589-228 record, 12 NCAA tournament berths and four West Coast Conference tournament crowns, most recently in 2024. Bennett transformed the Gaels from a nine-win team in 2002 to a perennial mid-major power that routinely challenged Gonzaga for WCC supremacy and produced NBA champions Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova. Returning to the Valley, Bennett inherits a program that has not reached the Sweet 16 since 1995 and is now battling for relevance in a deeper Big 12. Arizona State posted a 90-115 conference mark under Hurley and missed the 2026 NCAA tournament, intensifying pressure on new athletic director Graham Rossini to deliver a proven winner. Bennett’s track record of player development, defensive efficiency and international recruiting pipelines immediately addresses those concerns. Key questions loom: • Roster retention – Star guard Frankie Collins announced for the NBA draft, and several underclassmen are in the transfer portal. Bennett must quickly re-recruit the locker room while tapping his Australian and European contacts for portal additions. • Style shift – Expect a deliberate pace, ball-screen motion and top-20 KenPom defense, hallmarks of Bennett’s Gaels teams. The Sun Devils ranked outside the top 200 in offensive efficiency this season; system buy-in will be critical. • Recruiting footprint – Bennett’s Arizona roots plus 25 years in California position ASU to mine the fertile West Coast, while Big 12 exposure could expand reach into Texas. For Saint Mary’s, associate head coach Justin Joyner and veteran assistant Marty Clines are early candidates to keep the culture intact, but the WCC’s profile is set to change with Gonzaga departing for the Pac-12 next year. The Gaels must act swiftly to maintain continuity before the spring signing period. Bennett’s move underscores an evolving coaching carousel in which power-conference resources and the transfer portal accelerate seismic shifts. If his disciplined blueprint translates to Tempe, Arizona State could pivot from afterthought to Big 12 dark horse as early as 2027. Either way, the Sun Devils just landed one of college basketball’s most consistent winners—and the West Coast Conference lost its cornerstone.