For Arizona State, a disappointing season just got worse.
Senior guard BJ Freeman, the Sun Devils’ leading scorer, is no longer with the program, a team spokesman confirmed Sunday. His departure, categorized as “conduct detrimental to the team,” comes amid an already nightmarish stretch for ASU, which has lost six straight games and sits at the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Senior guard BJ Freeman has been dismissed from the team. pic.twitter.com/0m6Xk84CyS
— PHNX Sun Devils (@PHNX_SunDevils) February 23, 2025
Freeman’s dismissal caps off a turbulent season filled with disciplinary issues. He had previously been ejected twice, including a head-butting incident against Arizona’s Caleb Love, and was suspended for ASU’s loss to Oklahoma State on Feb. 9.
Now, with just five games left in the regular season, head coach Bobby Hurley faces an even greater challenge—navigating the remainder of a lost season with a depleted roster and an uncertain future.
A Season of Frustration Boils Over
Freeman’s on-court production was undeniable. The 6-foot-6 senior averaged 13.7 points and 3.9 rebounds over 25 games, leading the Sun Devils in scoring seven times. He had 20 double-digit scoring performances, including a 17-point effort against No. 5 Houston in what turned out to be his final game for ASU.
But Freeman’s disciplinary issues became impossible to overlook.
The first red flag came when he was suspended by Hurley ahead of ASU’s loss to Oklahoma State for undisclosed team-related reasons. That followed two ejections earlier in the season, with the most notable incident occurring in the heated rivalry matchup against Arizona, where Freeman was tossed for head-butting Caleb Love.
BJ Freeman headbutts Caleb Love and BOTH are ejected 😳 pic.twitter.com/hlwjDdXHIA
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 1, 2025
That moment visibly frustrated Hurley, who pulled his team off the court before the postgame handshake, signaling just how much the situation had escalated.
Now, with Freeman officially dismissed, ASU is down to just seven available players—a brutal blow for a team already struggling to stay competitive.
A Lost Season for Arizona State
Entering Sunday’s road matchup against Kansas State (13-13), the Sun Devils stand at 12-14 overall and 3-12 in Big 12 play, dead last in the conference with virtually no path to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
A miracle Big 12 Tournament run is the only scenario where ASU could make the postseason, but given the team’s six-game losing streak and 2-11 record over its last 13 games, that seems like a longshot at best.
With Freeman gone, Hurley now has just five games left to salvage anything positive from this season. The rotation is razor-thin, and depth has become a major concern. It’s hard to imagine the team finding any momentum as March approaches.
What Does This Mean for Bobby Hurley?
Freeman’s departure isn’t just about the loss of a top scorer—it’s yet another troubling chapter in a season that may ultimately cost Bobby Hurley his job.
Just weeks ago, ASU athletic director Graham Rossini publicly supported Hurley, expressing confidence in his leadership. But that was before the program spiraled into free fall, before Freeman’s suspension, and before ASU plummeted to the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
Now, with six straight losses and 11 defeats in 13 games, the outlook has shifted.
A frustrated Bobby Hurley on ASU's recent struggles:
"I've tried to do the best job I can with this team, and I'm not getting through to them enough."@SunDevilSource pic.twitter.com/BFTisRXlrj
— Jakob Brooks (@Jakobrooks) February 5, 2025
If this is rock bottom for Arizona State basketball, a coaching change may be inevitable.
The next few weeks could determine whether Hurley gets another shot at rebuilding—or if the Sun Devils decide it’s time for a fresh start.
One thing is clear: BJ Freeman won’t be part of whatever comes next.
