ASU men's basketball announced it hired Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley on Thursday.
Hurley was 42-20 in two seasons with the Bulls, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014-15.
Hurley was said to have been ASU's second choice behind Duke assistant coach Jeff Capel, who removed his name from consideration following the Blue Devils' win over Wisconsin in the national championship game Monday, according to media reports. azcentral sports had reported that Capel was the front-runner for Sun Devils' new head coach after the game.
Hurley had also reportedly been in consideration for the job opening at DePaul before the school hired former coach Dave Leitao in late March.
Hurley had been on a family vacation in Aruba over the last week, but returned to the United States Thursday.
Here is a statement from ASU athletic director Ray Anderson:
"I am thrilled to announce Bobby Hurley as the new head men’s basketball coach at Arizona State University.
We conducted an exhaustive search and after numerous discussions with many of basketball’s most knowledgeable and respected individuals, one thing became clear: Bobby is the right person to lead this program to new heights.
We have a leader who, along with our university and our community, is committed to helping Sun Devil Basketball thrive. With Bobby at the helm, we will provide the necessary resources to compete within our state, our conference and across the nation. We are intent on becoming an elite men’s basketball program.
Bobby is energetic, passionate and tough, and his contagious competitive fire will bring unmatched vigor to our men’s basketball program. A teacher, first and foremost, he is a proven winner as both a player and a coach, and understands the steps it takes to be a champion.
Bobby Hurley epitomizes basketball excellence, with a keen knowledge of the game that stems from his lifelong involvement in the sport. His childhood consisted of watching the defining moments of the NCAA Tournament; his high school days included a 115-5 record on the court and four state titles; and his college career, with an excellence exemplified by two national championships and his No. 11 jersey hanging in the rafters at Cameron Indoor.
There are a number of characteristics that define not just great leaders, but also gifted mentors of young people. Bobby’s passion for coaching comes from his father, Bob, Sr., a legendary New Jersey high school coach and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The deep appreciation he has for family was reflected in three years working with his brother, Dan, currently the head coach at Rhode Island. His five-year playing career in the National Basketball Association and experience as an NBA scout positions him to help our student-athletes realize what it takes to reach the next level. The high standard he puts on character and academics echoes the dedication we have to furthering our rich history of Pac-12 Scholar-Athletes and Academic All-Americans. And he welcomes the challenge and opportunity that lay ahead in building affinity around our men’s basketball program.
Bobby made history in just two seasons as the head coach at the University of Buffalo, where he led the men’s basketball program to its first-ever Mid-American Conference Title and NCAA Tournament berth. His 42 wins at Buffalo were themost ever for a head coach through their first two seasons, including a record-tying 23 wins in 2014-15, and he mentored back-to-back MAC Players of the Year and two Associated Press Honorable Mention All-Americans. He was a finalist for the 2015 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top Mid-Major Coach, and a finalist for the 2014 Joe B. Hall Award, given to the nation's top first year head coach.
Bobby’s resume as a collegiate player is extraordinary. He was the point guard for Duke University from 1989-93, one of the greatest college basketball teams in history, and helped the Blue Devils reach three Final Fours and win consecutive national championships in 1991 and 1992. He was a First-Team All-American, the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and his 1,076 career assists still stand as a NCAA record.
On behalf of our entire community, we welcome Bobby, his wife, Leslie, and their three children, Cameron, Sydney, and Bobby, into the Sun Devil Family."
And here is a statement from Michael Crow:
"In Bobby Hurley, we have found a top flight coach who will take our basketball program to the next level and a mentor who will foster academic success among all of our student-athletes. We want our Sun Devils to win on the court and in the classroom; we want their experiences on campus to prepare them for life beyond their athletic careers. Coach Hurley understands those values and I am eager to see how our basketball program will evolve under his leadership."
Reach the reporters at jmjanss1@asu.edu and mtonis@asu.edu and follow @jjanssen11 and @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.
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