The Randy Bennett train keeps on rolling, landing transfer after transfer as the new coach and his staff work to rebuild the roster in their first season in Tempe. Their latest commitment is a huge one, too, landing one of the top transfers on the market.
NEW: Saint Mary's transfer forward Paulius Murauskas has signed with Arizona State, @PeteNakos reports🔱
— On3 (@On3) April 21, 2026
Murauskas ranks No. 8 in the On3 Industry Transfer Portal ranking. https://t.co/8g3QWHGE1t pic.twitter.com/E7SACyaoQV
Paulius Murauskas was ranked as the 10th best player in the transfer portal by 247 Sports and eighth by On3. On Tuesday, Murauskas committed to the Sun Devils, opting to follow Bennett to Arizona State rather than taking the highest dollar figure.
Of course, Murauskas spent the past two years playing for Bennett at St. Mary's. The Lithuanian stretch four transferred there after one year playing for the Arizona Wildcats, a year in which he averaged just five minutes a game off the bench.
Murauskas immediately became a starter for the Gaels and blossomed into an outright star this past year, leading the team in scoring with 18.4 points a game. He also added 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game, while shooting 33.3% from the three.
Murauskas now returns to the state of Arizona, but for the good guys this time, and he's sticking with the coach who helped him become a top 10 transfer player in the first place. Murauskas was heavily courted the moment he entered the portal, and it initially looked as if his asking price would be too much for Arizona State.
However, last Monday brought reports that Murauskas was down to just two teams: Arizona State and Louisville. The Cardinals had just landed two major transfer commits themselves, getting both Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad, signaling a reinvigorated NIL fund for the once-proud program. Duke also reportedly emerged as a contender.
In the end, though, Murauskas opted for the familiar. Apparently, he has both a wife and son, an uncommon challenge for a college athlete to navigate. Per sources, Bennett had initially sold Murauskas on coming to St. Mary's in the first place in part because of his willingness to go above and beyond to accommodate Murauskas' family situation.
That played a sizable part in his decision this time around, too. It also helped that the move from Moraga to Tempe is much easier to make than going to Kentucky.
The significance of this pickup for Arizona State cannot be overstated. It's an immediate ringing endorsement of the Bennett hire - as if his sterling 25-year career at St. Mary's wasn't enough - and a testament to his ability to bring good players to Tempe.
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