Chances of Bobby Hurley leaving Arizona State to become the next head coach of the basketball team, according to the odds.
There is uncertainty surrounding Bobby Hurley’s future in Tempe after nine years, as reports have emerged this week suggesting that he has not yet completed the contract extension he previously agreed to with Arizona State.
The potential $2 million buyout fee that the school hiring Hurley away from the Sun Devils would have had to pay as per the terms of the unsigned deal may no longer be an issue.
Hurley and the Sun Devils concluded their disappointing season on Wednesday with a loss to Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament, ending with a frustrating 14-18 record.
Arizona State University is facing added complexity without a permanent athletic director since Ray Anderson left last year. With uncertainty at Arizona sportsbooks regarding ASU, yengols.com has compiled a list of potential candidates to replace Hurley if he were to leave Tempe.
Odds for the next head coach of Arizona State University are currently being calculated.
What Could Happen Next in Tempe?
Hurley has showcased the basketball potential of ASU, guiding the program to a No. 3 ranking in the AP top 25 poll in the 2017-18 season and securing three NCAA tournament berths in just nine years.
Hurley’s record of 155-131 (.542) with the school ranks him as the fourth coach with the highest win percentage (.542) in the program’s modern era (1958-present).
When evaluating possible ASU coaches, be sure to keep an eye on Kevin Kruger, the son of renowned coach Lon Kruger. Kevin was a player for ASU from 2003 to 2006, during Herb Sendek’s coaching tenure.
Junior Kruger has had a successful tenure at UNLV, with a record of 56-38 between 2021-22 and 2023-24. This includes two back-to-back 19-win seasons, bringing the Running Rebels back into NCAA Tournament contention for the first time since 2013 when they made it to the second round under Dave Rice.
Kruger is the leading candidate on our ASU list with odds of +200, closely followed by former Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico, and UCLA coach Steve Alford at +450. Alford, who recently led the Nevada Wolf Pack to a 26-6 regular season in the Mountain West, achieved his highest number of wins in his five years coaching in Reno.
The 59-year-old coach boasts an impressive record of 605-326 (.650) across five schools he has coached. Regarded as a top contender to guide ASU during their move from the Pac-12 to the challenging Big 12 in 2024, renowned for its fervent basketball supporters.
Bryce Drew of Grand Canyon has been a standout coach, leading the Lopes to a 27-4 record this season after successful seasons of 23-8 and 24-12 in the previous two years. Other coaches worth considering are Washington State’s Kyle Smith and Montana’s Travis DeCuire. According to bet365, Drew’s team is listed at +30000 to win the national championship.
Smith led the Cougars to their highest Pac-12 regular season ranking since 2007, making him a top candidate for the new AD in Tempe. DeCuire is the winningest head coach in Big Sky Conference history, with a record of 200-123 during his time in Missoula from 2015 to 2024, which included two NCAA Tournament appearances.
BetMGM Arizona believes that Connecticut is the frontrunner to win the national championship with odds of +500, followed by Houston at +600 and Purdue at +700. Arizona is listed as the fourth favorite with odds of +1100.
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Peterson Christopher, who spent seven years reporting on sports and sports betting in Arizona for publications like ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News, has now taken on the role of lead writer at yengols.com.
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