Hurley Defends Perez's Shock Exit from Arizona State

The sudden departure of star guard Jose Perez from the Arizona State basketball team just before the end of the regular season sent shockwaves through the college hoops world. However, Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley has come out in defense of his player’s decision to leave and pursue a professional contract in the Dominican Republic.

In an interview with Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta, Hurley acknowledged the unique circumstances surrounding Perez’s exit, stating, “I’ve never experienced something like that before. I understand where Jose was coming from in terms of what he needed to do for his family.”

The 6-foot-5 guard from the Bronx, who had previously played for Gardner-Webb, Marquette, Manhattan, and West Virginia, joined Arizona State just weeks before the 2022-23 season began. Despite his late arrival, Perez quickly earned Hurley’s trust, starting the team’s opening game and emerging as the Sun Devils’ second-leading scorer with 13.5 points per game.

Hurley admitted that while he was aware of Perez’s desire to sign a lucrative pro contract to support his family, he didn’t anticipate the 24-year-old would leave mid-season. “I thought he’d stay the course and finish the season out. As it turned out, he ultimately made a decision in the best interest of him and his family,” Hurley explained.

The head coach believes the timing of Perez’s departure was likely influenced by the contract offer he received, suggesting, “The contract that he had, it was predicated on him most likely getting there as soon as possible, and there wasn’t any more time to put it off.”

While losing a key contributor like Perez is undoubtedly a blow to Arizona State’s postseason aspirations, Hurley is confident in his team’s ability to respond positively. He praised the Sun Devils’ effort in their regular season finale against UCLA, aside from a couple of rough patches, and highlighted the need for players like Frankie Collins, Adam Miller, Jamiya Neal, and Alonzo Gaffney to step up as leaders.

As Arizona State prepares to face Utah in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament, Hurley’s message to his team is clear: “I just think a tremendous fight. I want us to go there and compete and look at this and approach it one game at a time. We know where we stand. We know our only path to the NCAA Tournament is winning this tournament. This is March Madness, this is what these guys have been working toward since June.”

With Perez’s departure providing an unexpected obstacle, the Sun Devils will have to rally together and leave everything on the court if they hope to keep their NCAA Tournament dreams alive. Hurley’s understanding of Perez’s situation and his faith in his remaining players could prove crucial as Arizona State navigates the high-stakes world of postseason college basketball.