As for transfer class rankings of other Big schools, Cincinnati is 17th,West Virginia18th, and Houston 20th.
It is the first class for Bennett, who replaced Bobby Hurley after spending 25 years at Saint Mary's, building that into a strong mid-major program.
Two of the newcomers are players following Bennett from Saint Mary's — 6-foot-8 power forwardPaulius Murauskas(18.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and 6-7 small forward Dillan Shaw (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Murauskas, a native of Lithuania, was one of the top 10 players in the portal by multiple recruiting services and is now the highest-ranked player ASU has ever landed out of the portal.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett cuts down the net after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Feb. 28, 2026.
Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett walks in front of the bench in the first half during a first-round men's basketball game of the NCAA Tournament between St. Mary's and Texas A&M, at Paycom in Oklahoma City on March 19, 2026.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks on in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 23, 2025.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett during the first half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Grand Canyon Antelopes at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 22, 2024.
St. Mary's Gaels coach Randy Bennett at a news conference at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2024.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts during the second half against the Utah Utes at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Nov. 27, 2023.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett speaks to the press during first round practice at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, on March 16, 2023.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett watches game action against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the second half at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2023.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett laughs at a reporter's question about training with bricks at Moda Center in Portland on March 16, 2022.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett celebrates his 500th win with his team after the game against the San Francisco Dons at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Feb. 2, 2023.
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts in the game against the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks in the second half at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Dec. 1, 2019.
Mar 20, 2019; Hartford, CT, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett speaks with the media during practice before the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Spokane, WA, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts after talking with an official during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks on from the bench in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. St. Mary's Gaels won 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; St. Marys Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks at game action against the Creighton Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha. St. Marys defeated Creighton 71-67 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
January 26, 2012, Los Angeles CA, USA; St. Marys Gaels head coach Randy Bennett watches game action against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the second half at Gersten Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 16, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; St. Mary's Gaels coach Randy Bennett watches from the bench during the game against the Loyola Marymount Lions at Gersten Pavillion. St. Mary's defeated Loyola Marymount, 80-49. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
1/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett cuts down the net after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Feb. 28, 2026.
1/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett cuts down the net after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Feb. 28, 2026.
2/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett walks in front of the bench in the first half during a first-round men's basketball game of the NCAA Tournament between St. Mary's and Texas A&M, at Paycom in Oklahoma City on March 19, 2026.
3/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks on in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 23, 2025.
4/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett during the first half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Grand Canyon Antelopes at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 22, 2024.
5/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels coach Randy Bennett at a news conference at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2024.
6/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts during the second half against the Utah Utes at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Nov. 27, 2023.
7/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett speaks to the press during first round practice at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, on March 16, 2023.
8/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett watches game action against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the second half at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2023.
9/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett laughs at a reporter's question about training with bricks at Moda Center in Portland on March 16, 2022.
10/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett celebrates his 500th win with his team after the game against the San Francisco Dons at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Feb. 2, 2023.
11/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts in the game against the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks in the second half at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Dec. 1, 2019.
12/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Mar 20, 2019; Hartford, CT, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett speaks with the media during practice before the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
13/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Jan 14, 2017; Spokane, WA, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts after talking with an official during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
14/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Nov 19, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks on from the bench in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. St. Mary's Gaels won 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
15/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Dec 13, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; St. Marys Gaels head coach Randy Bennett looks at game action against the Creighton Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha. St. Marys defeated Creighton 71-67 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
16/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
January 26, 2012, Los Angeles CA, USA; St. Marys Gaels head coach Randy Bennett watches game action against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the second half at Gersten Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
17/17
Meet the next Arizona State men's basketball coach
Feb 16, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; St. Mary's Gaels coach Randy Bennett watches from the bench during the game against the Loyola Marymount Lions at Gersten Pavillion. St. Mary's defeated Loyola Marymount, 80-49. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Another player, combo guard JRob Croy, had ties to Bennett. He is the lone newcomer from the high school ranks and had previously committed to Bennett at Saint Mary's. He also follows his father, Rick, who is on Bennett's coaching staff after previously leading the program at California Baptist.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Most of the newcomers have ties to the coaching staff. Center Nate Garcia is following Croy over from Cal Baptist, while power forward Marcus Vaughns is coming over fromLSU, where one of Bennett's assistants, David Patrick, was on staff.
Bennett has some familiarity with the other newcomers because he played against them. Those include point guard Joel Foxwell (15.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.5 apg) out of Portland and small forward Emmanuel Innocenti (6 pp, 3.8 rpg) out of Gonzaga. Innocenti is noted for his efforts on the defensive end of the floor, something ASU was missing last season. He also turned the ball over just twice in his team's last 15 games and had just 17 on the 35-game season.
The most recent addition is 7-footer Ben Defty, a native of Germany who started 33 games last year at Boston University, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds. He was rated as the No. 21 center and 134 overall transfer by On3.
The transfer portal closed on April 21. While players cannot put their names in, schools can still sign those players who are still in it.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
ASU had nine players enter the portal. Of those nine, four played little or not at all. The most notable is freshman center Massamba Diop, whose two biggest suitors appear to be Gonzaga and St. John's. Players who have found a home include guard Noah Meeusen (DePaul), forward Andrija Grbovic (Oklahoma State), and forward Marcus Adams (Hawaii).
ASU has just two players who will be returning. They are guard Bryce Ford and forward Vijay Wallace. Wallace did not play a regular-season game after sustaining a broken leg in the exhibition game against Texas A&M. Ford, a local product out of Pinnacle, was also slowed by an injury and missed six games.
Guard is the biggest position of need. Of the nine players in the fold, just three are guards.
