While much of the attention on ASU basketball has been directed toward highly decorated freshmen, forward Basheer Jihad stands to make an impact as a transfer with experience.
At Ball State, Jihad developed over three years into a strong post player who can get into the paint, where he likes to use a push shot from outside the restricted area. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.6 points and eight rebounds per game last year at Ball State.
Jihad was lauded by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein as an under-the-radar transfer to watch at Arizona State this season. The forward should start for the Sun Devils, according to Rothstein.
“It just gives me confidence,” Jihad said last week of his success at Ball State. “I know I didn’t do it at the highest level, but it gives me confidence that I can. … Those things I did at the mid-major level, they will translate ’cause it’s basketball at the end of the day.”
Arizona State was one of the worst rebounding teams last season, nearly outside the top 300 nationwide. The hope is that Jihad helps the team improve in that area.
“We shouldn’t have that issue (this season). Obviously the rebounding is a want and a will, so as long as we have that, we have the size, I think we’ll be fine,” Jihad said.
The Sun Devils injected much more size into the roster this offseason with newcomers Jihad, 6-foot-9 Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-8 Brandon Gardner and 6-foot-8 Amier, while 7-foot Shawn Phillips Jr. is one of two returners from last year’s rotation.
ASU has tinkered with double-big lineups early in the preseason, which would further add to the Sun Devils’ rebounding prowess.
