The Arizona Sun Devils have made the decision not to extend Bobby Hurley's contract. The decision comes after 11 seasons in the hot seat. The Sun Devils were eliminated from the Big 12 tournament on Wednesday, March 11, having suffered a massive loss at the hands of Iowa State, losing 91-42.
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Before joining Arizona, Hurley spent two seasons with the Buffalo Bulls. He joined Arizona State in 2015, guiding the team to three NCAA tournaments. In total, Hurley coached 352 games for the Sun Devils. He leaves his position with a 185-167 record, the second most in school history. When including his two seasons in Buffalo, Hurley boasts a 54.8% win rate.
"Bobby Hurley has made incredible contributions to the sport of basketball, and that certainly includes many memorable moments during his time as our head coach," Graham Rossini, Arizona State's athletic director, said in a statement. "While we will not be extending his contract, we are so grateful for the 11 years that Coach, Leslie, Cameron, Sydney and Bobby Jr. spent with us at ASU. We wish Coach well moving forward and we are thankful for his leadership while at ASU."
Despite Hurley's long tenure, the Sun Devils have struggled in recent seasons, going a combined 44-54 over the past few years. During that same timeframe, Arizona is 19-39 against Big 12 opponents.
Bobby Hurley Issues Statement on Arizona State's Decision Not To Extend His Contract
Following Arizona's decision not to extend his contract, Hurley released a brief statement on social media.
"Throughout this journey, my family and I formed lasting friendships and created incredible memories," Hurley wrote on X. "We experienced multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, remarkable wins at Desert Financial Arena, and the joy of watching our children become Sun Devil alumni. To all the players — thank you. It has been my greatest privilege to coach so many outstanding young men, and I will always treasure our time together."
Hurley is a proven commodity within the college coaching ranks. Therefore, he may find himself fielding other job offers in the near future. Nevertheless, Arizona will be moving in a new direction, and for a team that has struggled of late, that is an exciting realization.
