Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley. Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils land highest-ranked recruit in school history

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 4/29/24

After a disappointing 14-18 season, the Arizona State Sun Devils and head coach Bobby Hurley have been hard at work trying to replenish a roster that lost seven players to the transfer portal, including guards Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal.

On Monday, they added the highest-ranked recruit in school history with five-star center Jayden Quaintance announcing his commitment after getting his release from his National Letter of Intent from the University of Kentucky.

Major commitment on a potential 2026 NBA Draft lottery pick: Jayden Quaintance – a 16-year old ranked as the No. 2 center in ESPN’s Top 100 prospects — will sign with the Arizona State Sun Devils, he tells ESPN. He recently de-committed from Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/5u8D0Vdd9p
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 29, 2024

At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Quaintance is the second-best center in the 2024 class and is still only 16 years old, which makes him ineligible for the 2025 NBA Draft.

He will spend at least two years in college, which is a big boost for the Sun Devils, who hope to get back to their winning ways.

Quaintance made his official visit to Arizona State on April 26 and committed just three days later.

"We went out on the visit and it was right. Arizona State has a former teammate of Jayden's from Dream City Christian where he played as a freshman and Jayden is really familiar with the state of Arizona, so it all just worked out," Quaintance's father said in an interview with 247Sports.

Quaintance wasn't the only good news the Sun Devils received on Monday, as guard Adam Miller is reportedly using his additional year of eligibility and will return to Arizona State.

Source: Adam Miller is returning to Arizona State next season and will use his additional year of eligibility.

Averaged 12 PPG in 2023-24.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 29, 2024

Quaintance and Miller will be joined by transfer guards BJ Freeman, Austin Nunez, Alston Miller and forward Basheer Jihad.

Four-star high school recruit forwards Amier Ali and Sammie Yeanay and three-star forward Jaden Smith and guard Bo Aldridge round out a loaded 2024 class as the Sun Devils enter their first season in the Big 12 conference.

With Hurley exploring ways to bring visibility to the men's basketball program, 2024 has a chance to be a special season for the Sun Devils after finishing with losing records in three of the last four years.

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