Bobby Hurley has spent the past several offseasons navigating a changing college landscape.
What has been most challenging for Hurley at Arizona State of late? Retaining players and developing them in-house.
How is he combating that? Evolving has brought young professionals from Europe to the States, and Hurley might have found a diamond in the rough in Massamba Diop.
“He’s just very advanced,” Hurley said of the 21-year-old, who played for the developmental clubs of Real Madrid and Gran Canaria before heading to Tempe. “He was very well-coached. Very fluid player. Good IQ for the game, very skilled. He just knows not to put himself in bad positions.
“I think he’s like one offseason strength program … He’s like one year away from potentially being a lottery pick.”
“He’s like one year away from potentially being a lottery pick. That’s how much upside and how high his ceiling is.”
ASU’s Massamba Diop continues to impress behind a great attitude and work ethic, Bobby Hurley told @Bickley_Marotta earlier today. pic.twitter.com/LRJ4Bb7m92
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 17, 2026
Hurley added that the 7-foot-1 center didn’t join ASU’s team until September and, with that, missed out on the offseason training program. That is what has the Sun Devils’ coach so optimistic.
Officially a freshman, it’s fair to wonder if Diop has the room to make a significant leap if he stays in college a year longer, or if his 13.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 29 minutes per game are what they are at this point.
His skillset has flashed unique traits.
Diop’s 59% shooting figure (third in Big 12) might lead to a shrug if you assume he’s been feasting only at the rim as a lanky center. But he has shot 3-for-12 from 3-point range on the season, created enough of his own shots off the dribble and has enough volume in the midrange to make the accuracy even more impressive.
While he’s got 27 assists to 41 turnovers, there are some signs the ball-moving talents are there for his offensive glue-guy stuff as a big to translate to the next level.
Diop is second in the Big 12 with 2.1 blocks per game, and his 53 total swats this season are more than his 47 personal fouls heading into a game Tuesday against Texas Tech. He is generally in the right spots defensively, and his fluidity helps him survive in different coverages or on switches against perimeter players.
Diop has not been ranked by ESPN’s Jeremy Woo or The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie in the top 100 prospects for this upcoming draft. And his advanced age for a college freshman might impact what scouts see in his upside.
But it’s clear what Hurley thinks: Diop has a chance to make a massive leap with one more offseason in college.
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