The transfer portal window for college basketball players just opened up on Sunday, but the Sun Devils have already seen two players enter the portal. The first was 5-star freshman guard Joson Sanon, and on Monday he was joined by fellow freshman Brandon Gardner.
Arizona State freshman forward Brandon Gardner has entered the transfer portal. Gardner never suited up for the Sun Devils. Previously spent time at USC, was a former top 100 prospect.
— PortalUpdates (@portal_updates) March 25, 2025
Whereas Sanon was a high profile loss, Gardner had a much smaller impact in Tempe this year. The New Yorker originally committed to USC, then ranked as the fifth best prospect in the state. A coaching change led to Gardner entering the transfer portal, when he landed at Arizona State.
As it turned out, Gardner never played for the Sun Devils. After seeing no playing time early in the year, he was suspended for rules violations. At the time, head coach Bobby Hurley said there was a path to minutes for Gardner, but it never came, even as injuries ravaged the Sun Devils down the stretch.
This marks the second departure in as many days for Hurley's squad, as the embattled coach enters a make-or-break 11th season in Tempe. The loss of Sanon has already hurt his perception moving forward, and now the transfer of Gardner without ever getting to see what he could do will prompt more questions about Hurley's roster building strategies.