Sophomore guard Remy Martin has been one of the most reliable offensive players this year for the ASU men's basketball team. The former Pac-12 sixth-man of the year is putting up 13 points and five assists per game.
Martin’s growth as a point guard has led the Sun Devils through some of the team's most impressive upsets this year. His aforementioned five assists per game are the second-most in the Pac-12. Additionally, Martin is consistently finding teammates on cuts, spot ups or by his own creation.
Martin understands how to use the gravity of his drives to his advantage. Here, his drive forces redshirt senior forward Zylan Cheatham’s man to come guard him. He waits for the right angle to open up and drops a bounce pass for a Cheatham slam.
Martin's ability to read defenses and stay patient has opened up his playmaking even more. Here, he pulls a move Steve Nash popularized, driving baseline under the basket while keeping his dribble alive.
Martin draws the attention of both his man and the help defender. This allows him to make an easy pass for a dunk from redshirt sophomore forward Romello White.
Here, he does what is called "putting his man in jail." Upon receiving a screen, Martin's man trails him, and he keeps the defender on his back the entire drive. He stays patient and drops a nice pass for senior forward De'Quon Lake to slam home.
Martin also knows how to make tough passes through traffic. Here, he draws three defenders off a drive. He then smartly backs up to create a wider passing lane.
Martin then bounces a pass to freshman guard Luguentz Dort, who finishes the layup.
Even with Martin’s improved playmaking ability, he is one of the better shotmakers on the team.
After starting the season cold from beyond the arc, Martin is shooting 41 percent from the three-point line in conference play.
A trademark of Martin throughout Pac-12 play thus far is taking big shots to will his team back into games, pulling up for 3-pointers like this.
This ability has proved vital in late shot-clock situations where the team needs to be bailed out and will continue to lend itself in those scenarios.
While the Sun Devils’ hopes to win the Pac-12 title in the regular season are slim, Martin's playmaking and shot-creating abilities will be crucial in the Pac-12 tournament and any potential games in the NCAA tournament.
Reach the reporter at jhorst2@asu.edu and follow @HorseySeven on Twitter.
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Jeffrey Horst is the digital editor-in-chief of The State Press. He previously served as the publication's sports editor and worked at Cronkite News and ArizonaSports.com.
