Head basketball coach Herb Sendek and Eddie House stand together in the press room at ASU’s Tempe campus. Sendek announced that House’s jersey is to be retired sometime during the 2013-2014 season, according to the coach. (Photo by Nicholas Palomino Mendoza.)Sporting a No. 5 ASU basketball jersey, a smiling and jocular Herb Sendek greeted the media Tuesday morning along with ASU legend Eddie House, and the two announced that the University has decided which jersey will be the next to be retired.
The jersey, Eddie House's No. 5 of course, will be raised to the rafters in a "wonderful ceremony" at some point during the 2013-14 season, Sendek said.
"One of the all time great players and great people to ever play for the Sun Devils," Sendek said of House. "Have you ever seen a better shooter?"
House said he is honored by the achievement and that it feels great to be supported by the ASU community, but the implications have yet to fully hit him.
"When you go the game and you see your jersey in the rafters, that will be a special feeling," he said. "It shows the appreciation that everyone has for what you have done and for your accomplishments and all the hard work you put in."
Among other topics discussed by the coach at the very informal press conference were the team's upcoming trip to China, off-season adjustments and next season's expectations.
Sendek said the team's upcoming 10-day trip to China will give them a chance to represent the University on a global platform, not just in athletics, but as "goodwill ambassadors" for the ASU community.
He said the entire team will not be able to attend, but he is excited for the 10 or so student athletes who can make the trip, and he feels that the trip will help build camaraderie.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to cultivate relationships and to represent Arizona State in China," he said. "It's a once in a life time opportunity for our players to experience an amazing culture and people."
Sendek said the team's "horrific" free throw shooting has been targeted as an area in need of off-season improvement and that misses on the line played a crucial role in most of the team's losses last season.
"It's never that simple, but on the other hand it's never that complicated," he said, "Had we been able to make a higher percentage of free throws, a good season could have been even better."
Sendek said he expects a lot out of senior center Jordan Bachynski this upcoming season and that the team is optimistic about his prospects this year.
Bachynski, who averaged 9.8 points and 5.9 rebounds last season and set a Pac-12 single season blocks record with 120, has been playing on the Canadian international team and has already traveled to Russia and China this summer to play for the Canadians.
"I think (Bachynski) is on a great trajectory," Sendek said. "Right now he is in a really good place, he has good confidence and he has a steel-edged determination to have a terrific senior season."
Sendek said one of the team's greatest challenges this season will be replacing the leadership and stellar play of Carrick Felix, who was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the NBA draft.
Sendek said he hopes redshirt sophomore phenom Jahii Carson will take on a larger leadership role and "present himself as a great leader" this year in "his interactions with coaches and teammates alike." The head coach said he is excited about is the depth of this years team and the pace he hopes they can play at.
"As fast as we played last year, we are going to turn up that heat even more," he said.
ASU alumnus Jeff Pendergraph, who recently signed a two-year contract with the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, dropped in on the press conference to speak about his new contract, his experiences in the pros, and his offseason workout.
"This is home," he said, "so I'm here to work out, get ready for the season and whoop on these young guys a little bit and get them ready to win us that Pac-12 title."
Sendek said the goal this season is to make the NCAA tournament, but the pressure is no greater than any other year.
"You always want to make the tournament, so I wouldn't use the word pressure," he said. "That's just where we are trying to go."
Reach the reporter at npmendo@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @NPMendoza
