Arizona State extends coach Bobby Hurley through 2025-26 season

Arizona State has signed men’s basketball coach Bobby Hurley to a two-year contract extension, the school announced Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:

Hurley’s new deal will keep him with the program through the 2025-26 season.
He has spent eight seasons helming the Sun Devils, compiling a 141-113 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Arizona State went 23-13 this season, entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed after a First Four win over Nevada. The Sun Devils were eliminated with a 72-70 first-round loss to No. 6 TCU.

Staying in Tempe 😈
Bobby Hurley has agreed to a contract extension with @SunDevilHoops 🔱
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) March 22, 2023

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Was this the right call?

Despite Arizona State’s strong finish, this wasn’t a slam-dunk decision. Hurley and vice president of athletics Ray Anderson haven’t had the best relationship during their time in Tempe. Hurley’s contract expired after the 2024 season. Waiting this long for an extension was awkward at best, making many wonder whether Hurley might leave on his own.

Ultimately, an extension was best for both parties. Arizona State this season played its best basketball when it mattered most, beating rival Arizona, advancing to the Pac-12 tournament semifinals and routing Nevada in the First Four. Hurley deserved an opportunity to build off that success. — Haller

What’s the next step for ASU?

Arizona State has to address Desert Financial Arena. Built in 1974, the on-campus facility is decades past its prime. Former ASU coach Bill Frieder called it archaic — in 1989. A former Pac-12 coach who has worked in multiple conferences told The Athletic this week that it’s among the worst college arenas he has visited. The locker rooms are subpar. The video board is outdated.

In its current state, Arizona State is an NCAA Tournament “bubble” program. That’s the baseline. Some years it works out and the Sun Devils dance. Others, it does not. To become a program that can advance consistently in the NCAA Tournament, more resources are needed. — Haller

What they’re saying

“Coach Hurley has made our program relevant nationally with many significant wins and an exciting style, along with a firm commitment to the academic success of our student-athletes,” Anderson said in a statement Tuesday. “He has made it clear to us that he wants to be here and we have done likewise with him. We share a strong confidence in the present and future state of Sun Devil men’s basketball.”