5-star recruit Joson Sanon says he will be 'one and done' after spurning Arizona for ASU
By Mason Duhon
Former Arizona Basketball commit and 5-star shooting guard prospect Joson Sanon hasn't been shy about his motivations and how he expects his collegiate career to go.
When speaking to Bleacher Report's Ari Wasserman, Sanon had a few things to say on his decision to flip to ASU and confirmed that Caleb Love's return was the catalyst for his commitment flip.
"The deal was for Caleb Love to get drafted and I'd have that role. He ended up announcing he'd be going back, so I wound up going to the rival school, and it set off some heat."
- Sanon to B/R's Wasserman
Though the loss of a highly-touted prospect stings, he also made it clear that he doesn't expect to settle down in Tempe for long. When prompted on his future plans, Sanon told Wasserman:
"I'm one and done."
- Sanon to B/R's Wasserman
Sanon is a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft who has reclassified to be a member of the class of 2024. In February, ESPN had Sanon listed as the No. 28 overall prospect in next year's draft class, and one solid year of college ball could solidify his professional prospects.
Why should Arizona care?
It's simple math, really. There was no way to get both Love and Sanon to suit up in the same jersey next year, so Arizona could only have one. The choices were the final Men's Basketball Pac-12 Player of the Year coming off a career year or an incoming freshman who's banking more on his NBA talent than a fruitful college career.
It's safe to say that Arizona is in better hands with the former on the roster.
Despite ending the season on a whimper instead of a roar, Love was instrumental in Arizona's much-needed success in 2023-24 after getting bounced in the first round of March Madness in 2023, largely because he stepped into the vocal leadership role that the now-departed Kylan Boswell could not.
Also, if Sanon were to join the team as a shooting guard instead of a Love return, it's hard to believe he would flat-out overtake the returning KJ Lewis. Lewis was promising as a heady player on both ends of the court in his freshman season, and a big year was set to be in store for him regardless.
If Arizona was only going to get one year out of either Love or Sanon, it's far more preferable that they bring back the highly decorated veteran to lead the team as opposed to the inexperienced freshman. Here's to one more year of Love throwing up the "Forks Down" hand sign.
Mock. Larsson, Johnson taken three picks apart in NBA Mock Draft. dark. ICYMI
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