Despite two difficult seasons in Tempe, you can feel the momentum building around Arizona State basketball and the job head coach Bobby Hurley is doing putting his stamp on the program. Wednesday the Devils reportedly added another key piece and much-needed front court help, landing former Kansas big man Carlton Bragg Jr.
Bragg, a 6-foot-10 post player, was reportedly in Tempe earlier this week before news broke Wednesday afternoon that he’d be joining the Devils. He also reportedly considered Cincinnati, Ohio State, Illinois, Xavier and North Carolina State among others.
With Bragg’s big talent brings some past baggage to the program. He left the Jayhawks for “a fresh start” as he put it after being in and out of head coach Bill Self’s dog house the past two years. Bragg was suspended three games this past season for a drug possession charge. In December he missed one game following his arrest on suspicion of domestic battery. Less than one week later those charges were dropped.
Despite his inconsistent play at KU, the former four-star recruit showed flashes of brilliance, averaging 5.2 points and 4.1 rebounds despite only playing just under 14 minutes per game. He did not play in his final game with the Jayhawks, an Elite 8 loss to Oregon in late March.
The Cleveland native will set out the next year and have two years of eligibility remaining with ASU starting the 2018-2019 season.
Coincidentally, ASU lost a high-profile transfer to Kansas after freshman guard Sam Cunliffe parted ways with the program back in December.
