As the Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team continues to ascend with Bobby Hurley at the helm, it's only natural for Hurley's name to be attached to some of the nation's top head coaching vacancies.
That's why it's not necessarily a shock to learn that, less than three weeks after ASU's 2018-19 season ended, the Sun Devils' head coach will reportedly be pursued for one of those vacancies.
CBS college basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported Monday that Hurley will likely be at the top of the list for the possible open head coaching position at St. John's. Rothstein reported Chris Mullin is expected to step down as St. John's head coach later this week.
Hurley took over as ASU's head coach in 2015. He has guided the Sun Devils to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, the first time the Devils appeared in consecutive tournaments in nearly 40 years. Hurley and the Sun Devils defeated Mullin and St. John's in a first-round NCAA Tournament game on March 20, ASU's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2009.
Hurley was a star point guard at Duke, and he helped guide the Blue Devils to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and '92. Hurley and the Blue Devils defeated St. John's in the regional finals of the 1991 NCAA Tournament. Mike Cragg, hired as St. John's athletic director in September, spent over 30 years in Duke's athletics department.
St. John's hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since 2000.
Hurley served as the head coach of Buffalo for two seasons before accepting the ASU head coaching job. It's unclear whether Hurley would be interested in the St. John's position, but the university is located in New York City, just a few miles from where Hurley grew up in New Jersey.
Hurley threw out the first pitch before the Arizona Diamondbacks home opener vs. the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Great experience with the Diamondbacks organization today! https://t.co/C8QJzSJRXd
— Bobby Hurley (@BobbyHurley11) April 6, 2019
