Jamiya Neal expected to have leading role for Arizona State men's basketball team

Jamiya Neal didn't start last season on a good note but he certainly ended it on one.

The 6-foot-6 junior is looking to pick up where left off as the Arizona State men's basketball team begins its 2023-24 season this week.

Coach Bobby Hurley's Sun Devils take the floor for their first game on Wednesday in a stand-alone showdown against SEC contender Mississippi State in Chicago. If they are to return to the NCAA Tournament, the Sun Devils will need a stellar showing from Neal, a versatile athlete who was a key player during the team's stretch run last season.

Neal got off to a slow start last season after injuring his shin as the team's preseason preparation was ramping up. He missed the first five games, highlighted by wins over Michigan and VCU in Brooklyn.

The team was playing well, with a lot of newcomers having hands in the early wins. As a result, Neal's playing time initially was limited.

"It was so frustrating to work hard all summer and then right when it's time to start scrimmaging, now you can't play and you lose all that momentum," he said. "Then you come back and the team is playing well and you just have to fit into a role. I was happy we were winning and I just wanted to do my part so I just had to wait my turn."

As can often happen, one player's misfortune can present an opportunity for another. For Neal, it was a concussion sustained by Austin Nunez, who had carved out a major role as a true freshman, a sometime starter or first guard off the bench his rookie year in Tempe. Nunez's concussion occurred Feb. 18 against Utah at Desert Financial Arena and he never returned.

Neal, who played his last season of high school basketball at Hillcrest Prep in Gilbert, benefited from additional minutes after Nunez was sidelined and took full advantage. He played 27 minutes coming off the bench and was a big factor in the Sun Devils upset of nationally ranked Arizona, contributing 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the game.

He turned in a career-high 16 points with four rebounds, two assists and three steals in ASU's best game of the season, a 98-73 win over Nevada in the NCAA play-in game in Dayton, Ohio. That performance was even more rewarding for Neal, who hails from Toledo, Ohio and had a rooting section of 50 or so friends and family members.

Despite having to wait his turn, Neal says he never lost confidence.

"I thought I was capable all along," he said. "I just wanted to help us win, whatever that is. In the beginning of the year we had more depth so that might have been guarding the other team's best player or just getting my teammates the ball when I was in there but I was always working on my game and staying ready. So when coach gave me the opportunity I was prepared."

Hurley, entering his ninth season heading the program, acknowledged the tough break his player experienced.

"He (Neal) was cut out to have a better season last year. Injuries derailed the first part of his season. He had a setback and kind of fell behind some guys in the rotation," Hurley said. "As the year went on, he really gained a lot of confidence and momentum. Austin Nunez was out with an injury late in the year, and that provided an opening for him to go get more playing time, and he took full advantage of it. He was one of our best players down the stretch. "

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After the season ended Neal flirted with the transfer portal but said he really always wanted to come back and build on that strong finish. He is one of just three returning players, the others being point guard Frankie Collins and forward Alonzo Gaffney.

When it came time for Pac-12 Media Day in Las Vegas ahead of this season, Hurley chose to bring Collins and Neal, an indication of what Hurley thinks his player is capable of bringing to the team this season.

The Sun Devils have 10 newcomers, so the first part of the season will be much like the last with the team trying to establish its identity and players having to develop a chemistry on and off the court.

Among those newcomers is Kamari Lands, a transfer from Louisville who almost signed with ASU out of high school. He has been impressed by Neal in the early going.

"I think Jamiya is one of our better shot creators I've been around in my basketball time. He's a leader and he knows where people need to be. He knows the basketball way," Lands said. "He has helped me a lot since I've been here and he's definitely one of our leaders."

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When not on the floor Neal says one of his hobbies is going to the movies, often with his roommates Jordan Williams and Bobby Hurley, the coach's son. He is a fan of Adam Sandler, Denzel Washington and Will Smith.

"I'm a movie guy, I go a lot. I like to watch from a different perspective. I like thrillers, a good mystery movie with a good plot twist where you have to figure it out," he said.

For now though, the focus is on basketball. Hurley is excited about what he has seen from Neal thus far, which includes his showing in some "secret scrimmages." Neal scored 35 points in one of those.

"What I love about Jamiya's performance was his efficiency," Hurley said. "He didn't force anything. He's just had a lot of growth in that area. He's always been very talented and the light bulb has come on for him to just understand that with his exceptional athleticism and ability to create he needs to make sure he's getting good shots, quality shots and that's the real plus of what I've seen. The action came to him in the flow of the game and then he put on a great performance. I reminded him that it doesn't count and we start for real this week."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jamiya Neal expected to have leading role for ASU men's basketball