The Sun Devil basketball team had to rework their starting lineup after losing multiple starters and role players to graduation and the transfer portal. They looked to the transfer portal themselves, specifically LSU. One of the most significant needs for the Sun Devils was a Center. Luckily, LSU had a 19-year-old shiny jewel looking for a new home, a 7-footer with incredible athleticism: Shawn Phillips.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!NEWS: LSU transfer Shawn Phillips has committed to Arizona State, he tells @On3sports.
Former 4⭐️ recruit.
Story: https://t.co/jyT3O8vXBc pic.twitter.com/MzcKIMXblp
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 25, 2023
Phillips just finished his Freshman season at LSU. He was a former 4-star recruit but had only played in 20 games for the Tigers and just 7.5 per game. However, that didn’t stop him from breaking out in a big way. He dropped a 13-point and 10-rebound double-double in the first round of the SEC tournament against Georgia last year. This got many teams to contact him once he entered the portal.
So, Phillips transferred to Arizona State to join his teammate Adam Miller. Even though he’s from Dayton, he played High School basketball in Glendale at Dream City Christian. That would make this a homecoming. But so far, he’s been maybe the most impressive star in camp. So much so that it seems he will most likely be the starting Center for Arizona State this year. He has a 7’5 wingspan and has made a lot of noise inside the Weatherup Center this summer.
“Shawn’s probably the most athletic big we’ve had since I got here.” Starting guard Jamiya Neal said, “He’s tall. He jumps off, and he gets off the ground really fast. Like when he first got here. I’m like, “Wow, he’s really athletic.” Like, he doesn’t need to bend or anything. He just catches and goes straight up. And, you know, he’s young.”
Coach Hurley truly believes that he will be something special and may have the highest upside of anyone in the program.
“Shawn is the most gifted frontcourt guy that I’ve had, just just naturally gifted. I mean, his story is amazing, what he’s been through, what he’s getting to this point. But he’s got tremendous upside, and you may not see it on the floor every night. He’s still a work in progress. He’s very young. I mean, he’s the youngest player on our team. And even though he’s a sophomore, he’s 19 years old. But he’s just got great feet and good hands and touch. And he’s so explosive. He’s got a 7’5 wingspan, you know, he’s got a little bit of, like, I touched on earlier, just a nasty edge. You know, he’s going to make some mistakes. And he’s still learning how to play. But he’s, he’s got a great future in front of him.”
We haven’t seen Phillips in an ASU jersey yet, but just from the words of his coaches and teammates, you can tell he will be something special—a hidden jewel on the ASU Sun Devils baseball team.
