While junior Ike Diogu, a Playboy pre-season All-American, didn't receive an invitation to Hugh Hefner's mansion, he has received plenty of respect, as the Sun Devils prepare to start their season.
Diogu and the rest of the Sun Devils talked about their expectations heading into this season during their annual media day at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday.
"Our goal is to get back to winning and play the way we know how to play," Diogu said.
In order to get back to winning, ASU will need seniors Jason Braxton and Stevie Moore to be leaders both on and off the court.
Braxton, who was a sophomore when the Sun Devils last reached the NCAA tournament, said experiencing success early in his career is motivation to get back to the big dance.
"I think at times last year, I forgot what it feels like and what it takes to make it to the [NCAA] tournament," Braxton said. "My biggest goal this year is to go out and have fun. I know that making basketball fun again is going to allow us to win more games."
While the Sun Devils have high expectations for themselves, many basketball analysts are predicting ASU to once again finish near the bottom of the Pac-10. But that's something that doesn't bother head coach Rob Evans.
"I've coached a team that was picked to finish in last place of our division, and we ended up winning it," Evans said. "The pre-season rankings don't affect me, but they might affect the players, giving them motivation heading into the season."
Heading into this season, Evans already has reason to smile because of a strong sophomore class led by Kevin Kruger and Serge Angounou.
Kruger, who got off to a slow start in his freshman year, finished the season on a tear, averaging 12.4 points and 29 minutes per game during the second half of the Pac-10 season.
"I don't know what happened, a light came on and I started making my shots at the end of the season," Kruger said.
The Sun Devils are also looking forward to the return of Angounou, who has been plagued by injuries over the past two seasons.
"Serge is a great player. Even if he's only playing at 85 percent, he still dominates on the court," Braxton said. "Our team will be that much better when he's fully healthy and in the lineup."
ASU will also be stronger in depth, most notably because of freshman Tim Pierce and Yavapai Community College transfer sophomore Bryson Krueger.
Both Pierce and Krueger possess outside shooting range, as they battle for playing time at the wing.
"When Bryson is in the game, it will be hard for teams to try to double team Ike," Evans said. "If they do, Krueger is going to have a strong year from the outside."
With a new look and a new attitude, the Sun Devils are ready to forget about last season, and turn their focus on winning and getting back to the NCAA tournament.
The season begins Saturday at 8 a.m. with ASU's first practice.
Reach the reporter at matt.reinick@asu.edu.
