Hurley Completes 2023-24 Coaching Staff
By: Connor Smith
Head Coach Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program have officially announced the final additions to the 2023-24 staff. Arizona State welcomes Yusuf Ali and Jarryn Skeete to the Sun Devil Family, with Nick Irvin and Mickey Mitchell receiving promotions. The news comes after Greg Lansing (Special Assistant to the Head Coach) and Hunter Eisenhower (Associate Head Coach - Sports Performance) joined the staff earlier in the offseason. ASU now boasts an experienced and diverse staff from top to bottom, featuring some of the nation's top rising talent in the coaching industry.
"We were able to bring on several tremendous additions to our program," Coach Hurley reflected at Pac-12 Media Day earlier in the month. "This staff is hungry to prove themselves and they understand the expectations we have here. I am excited to work with everyone."
2023-24 SUN DEVIL MEN'S BASKETBALL STAFF
Bobby Hurley - Head Coach
Jermaine Kimbrough - Associate Head Coach
Nick Irvin - Assistant Coach
Yusuf Ali - Assistant Coach*
Justin McLean - Director of Scouting & Player Development
Greg Lansing - Special Assistant to the Head Coach*
Mickey Mitchell - Director of Operations
Jarryn Skeete - Player Personnel, Recruiting & Analytics Assistant*
Hunter Eisenhower - Associate Head Coach, Sports Performance*
*First season with ASU
Nick Irvin - Assistant Coach
After serving as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach last season, Nick Irvin has been elevated to Assistant Coach. Irvin was an important resource for Coach Hurley a season ago, helping ASU win 23 games, including a win in the NCAA Tournament. This is Irvin's second stint as an Assistant Coach, previously serving in the role for two seasons at Western Illinois.
As part of his duties last year, Irvin was involved in game planning for opposing personnel as well as self scouting. Irvin was integral in the development of Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal, who return to ASU as two of the most improved players in the Pac-12 Conference. Irvin's experience at the high school level and connections with the AAU scene have made him a successful recruiter. He has been essential in securing several marquee transfers since his promotion and has created momentum in the recruitment of several decorated high school prospects.
Irvin is part of Chicago basketball royalty, with his late father Mac sponsoring one of the most recognizable AAU programs in the nation, the Mac Irvin Fire. He followed in his father's footsteps, making an impact in the Chicago basketball scene. Irvin was the Head Coach of Morgan Park High School for 12 seasons prior to his time with Western Illinois. During his tenure, the Mustangs compiled a 301-70 record, including two separate back-to-back IHSA Class 3A State Title runs in 2013-14 and 2017-18.
Thanks to his efforts at Morgan Park, Irvin received numerous Coach of the Year awards. He was recognized as the Chicago Public School Coach of the Year four times and was the 2013 NFHS Illinois Coach of the Year. After the state title run in 2017, USA Today tabbed him as the Coach of the Year. While at Morgan Park, Irvin mentored several all-state selections and became a fixture in the Chicago hoops scene. Three of his players at Morgan Park would garner All-American status, including Chicago Bulls 2021 NBA Draft pick Ayo Dosunmu. Irvin has coached over 20 players that went on to star at the Division I and professional level. This list includes Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Brunson, Jabari Parker, and Jahlil Okafor.
He is joined in Tempe by his wife, Lindsay, and their three daughters Cynthia, Laniya, and Carolina Chicago Irvin.
Yusuf Ali - Assistant Coach
Yusuf Ali is entering his first season as an assistant Coach with the men's basketball program at Arizona State University.
Prior to joining ASU, Ali served as an assistant Coach at Simon Fraser University. Under his guidance, the team earned signature wins, defeating No. 1 seed Saint Martin's (64-63), Western Washington (82-80 & 78-76), and local rival UBC (90-82) in an impressive Buchanan Cup triumph, securing a spot in the playoffs. Notably, all of his graduates signed professional contracts in the off-season. This year, Ali has played a pivotal role in recruiting a talented class of players at ASU, bolstering the teams roster.
Before his tenure at SFU, Ali co-founded and served as the head coach of the Toronto Basketball Academy and DeepEnd Training from 2012 to 2020. His leadership was instrumental in TBA's outstanding record of 32-6 during his two years as head coach between 2019-2021. Renowned for his focus on player development, Ali has mentored and coached some of Canada's top basketball talents, many of whom have gone on to play in the NCAA and professional leagues around the world.
As a former athlete, Ali was a standout player in U-Sports Basketball, representing the Ryerson Rams and achieving a National Championship with Seneca College in 2018. His exceptional performance earned him accolades, including the titles of CCAA Tournament MVP, OCAA Tournament MVP, and OCAA 1st Team All-Star during that season. He made a lasting impression against Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and the Duke Blue Devils in the 2018-19 season when he scored 12 points and dished out 5 assists in a 86-67 loss at the Hershey Center in Toronto.
Ali has completed his undergraduate studies at Laurentian University in Business Management. He is the older brother of Ahmed Ali who recently finished playing at University of Portland averaging 18 points and 3 assists.
Mickey Mitchell – Director of Operations
Former standout for Bobby Hurley and fan favorite Mickey Mitchell has been promoted to Director of Operations. He spent the past season as the Player Personnel, Recruiting & Analytics Assistant. Mitchell played an important role in team dynamics, helping prepare the team for games as well as building a culture and chemistry. His experience having played for Coach Hurley has proven to be invaluable.
Mitchell completed his professional career in 2021, as he spent time in Japan and Bosnia over a three-year span. He was a starting forward for the Yokohama Excellence and engaged in youth clinics as part of his role as an ambassador for the team.
Arizona State fans will remember him best from when he came back from health issues in 2019-20, providing a spark for the Sun Devils. He played in 23 games, starting in 11, averaging 15.6 minutes per game and grabbing 22 offensive rebounds. When Mitchell was inserted into the starting lineup at Washington on Feb. 1, the team ran off seven straight Pac-12 wins for the first time since 1980-81.
After having to sit out the first eight games of the season due to transfer rules, Mitchell wasted no time fitting in with the team, playing in the rest of the 24 games in the 2017-18 season. Mitchell averaged 5.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over 22.5 minutes, starting in 11 games. He was a key contributor to a team that made the NCAA Tournament, with Mitchell finishing with 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals in the NCAA First Round matchup against Syracuse.
Mitchell received his Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Arizona State in May of 2019.
Jarryn Skeete - Player Personnel, Recruiting & Analytics Assistant
A familiar face will be joining Coach Hurley's staff for the upcoming season. With continuity at a premium, the addition of Jarryn Skeete is critical to the functionality of the Arizona State program. Skeete will join Sun Devil Men's Basketball as a Player Personnel, Recruiting & Analytics Assistant. He will have a hand in several aspects of the program, including development, scouting, and on-campus recruiting.
Skeete was a standout player for Bobby Hurley at Buffalo from 2014-15, playing his sophomore and junior years for the current Sun Devil Head Coach. Coming off a debut campaign which resulted in him earning 2013 All-MAC Freshman Team honors, Skeete's development skyrocketed after Hurley's arrival. He played in 54 total games in the two season the duo was together, making 38 starts. He was part of the 2014-15 team that made the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Tournament Championship. Under Hurley's tutelage, Skeete averaged 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over two seasons while serving as one of the team leaders. The Bulls boasted a 42-20 record when the two were together at Buffalo. Very few individuals have a better understanding of what it takes to play for Coach Hurley than Skeete.
After earning a degree in Communications from Buffalo in May of 2016, Skeete pursued a professional career overseas. He played in the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) as a part of the St. John's Edge. He was a teammate with NBA Champion Glen "Big Baby" Davis while with the Edge and competed against several other former NBA standouts in the league. In addition to his stint with NBL Canada - Skeete is originally from Mississauga, Ontario - giving Arizona State another connection to Canada. He most recently played for the Sudbury Five, part of Canada's Basketball Super League.
PREVIOUS STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS
Earlier in the offseason, Hurley announced the addition of two staff members with NBA Connections. Greg Lansing and Hunter Eisenhower are already making an impact with the program.
Greg Lansing - Special Assistant to the Head Coach
Former Indiana State Head Coach Greg Lansing is an important addition to the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program. Lansing most recently served as a NBA Scout, working for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. Prior to that he was one of the most successful coaches in Indiana State history, racking up 181 wins (2nd most in ISU history) in 11 seasons. During his tenure with the Sycamores, Lansing had the most conference wins in the MVC (103), becoming just the 11th coach in league history to reach 100 wins. At the helm in Terre Haute, he reached the 2011 NCAA Tournament and secured a bid in the NIT in 2012 and 2013. ISU upset seven Top-25 teams while he was head coach. Lansing was a two-time finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, given out to a coach who exhibits strong moral character.
Before being elevated to the head coaching position at Indiana State, Lansing served as both the Associate Head Coach (2007-10) and Assistant Coach (2006-07). He was part of Steve Alford's staff at Iowa, where he was an Assistant Coach from 1999-2006. The Hawkeyes won two Big Ten Tournament Championships (2001 and 2006) while Lansing was on the bench. In his first of two stints at Indiana State, Lansing was an Assistant Coach from 1995-99. He got a taste of coaching at the high school level at the beginning of his career, turning around Theodore Roosevelt High School (Des Moines) as their head coach from 1993-95. Lansing broke into the coaching profession at his alma mater South Dakota (1990-93) as a Graduate Assistant, eventually earning an Assistant Coach role. and later started his first stint at Indiana State (1995-99). Lansing will be joined by his wife Kristin in Tempe.
Hunter Eisenhower – Associate Head Coach, Sports Performance
Coach Hurley continues to emphasize the importance of strength and condition within his program and the recent hiring of Hunter Eisenhower continues the theme. Eisenhower comes to Arizona State after having worked at the NBA level, serving as a Sports Performance Coach and Sports Scientist for the Sacramento Kings. He worked closely with the Stockton Kings this past season, the franchise's G-League affiliate.
Eisenhower returns to the college level after previous stints at UC Davis, Southeastern Louisiana, and Minnesota State Mankato. At UC Davis, Eisenhower was the Associate Director of Sports Performance, in charge of the strength and conditioning of the Men's Basketball program. Prior to his stint at UC Davis, he was the Assistant Sports Performance Coach at Southeastern Louisiana. He started out as a Graduate Assistant strength coach at Minnesota State Mankato before moving into a role as the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach. Eisenhower has also spent time with the Washington, Minnesota, and Seattle University strength and conditioning departments. He is a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). The Wasilla, Alaska native earned a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology from Minnesota State Mankato. Eisenhower also received a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from Seattle Pacific, where he played basketball for four seasons. Eisenhower will be joined by his wife Leah and daughter Elsie in Tempe.
SUN DEVILS ON SOCIAL
For exclusive content, the latest updates, and more information on the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilHoops), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/SunDevilHoops/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com). Make sure you are following Coach Irvin (@NICKIRV), Coach Ali (@yu5ali), Coach Lansing (@CoachLansing), Mickey Mitchell (@MickeyMitchell0), Jarryn Skeete (@1jarryn) and Hunter Eisenhower (@Huntereis_sc) on Twitter.