ARIZONA STATE BASKETBALL

Jahii Carson cleared, returns to ASU basketball practice

Oct 8, 2013, 12:05 AM | Updated: 12:05 am

TEMPE, Ariz. — A week into preparing for the upcoming season, head coach Herb Sendek welcomed back an important, familiar face to the team: point guard Jahii Carson.

The talented sophomore out of Mesa High School was on the court, as a full participant Monday for the first time since practice began on Sept. 30.

Carson, who averaged a team-high 18.5 points and 5.1 assists last season, had missed the first week because of a stress reaction in his right leg.

“He did some 5-on-0 and some minimal shooting at the end of last week,” Sendek said of the reigning Pac-12 Co-Freshman of the Year. “He says he feels great; all the discomfort that he had is gone. It seems like it was a good path to take and just giving him a couple of weeks to feel better.”

Carson had been going non-stop all summer between invitation-only camps (Nike Point Guard Skills Academy featuring Deron Williams and Kyrie Irving, LeBron James Skills Academy and adidas Nations Global Challenge) and the team’s August trip to China.

“One thing about Jahii, I think, is he loves the game. He loves to be in the gym and he loves to play and he loves to practice,” Sendek said.

This is likely Carson’s final season at ASU, where expectations have never been higher, at least in terms of the Sun Devils looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.

“(Carson is) tremendously driven with basketball,” Sendek said Monday. “He wants to be, not only the best player at ASU that he can be this year helping us win as many games as possible, but ultimately he wants to be the best NBA player he can be.

“Basketball is really important to him. He takes this seriously. He looks at this as a centerpiece in his life. He wants to leave a great legacy here at ASU, and then beyond that he wants to play in the NBA for as long and as successfully as he can. Basketball is important to him.”

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona State Basketball

Jadrian Tracey...

Associated Press

Oregon captures final Pac-12 Tournament championship with win over Colorado

Oregon secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Colorado 75-68 on Saturday night, ending the Pac-12 basketball era.

2 days ago

Arizona State basketball coach Bobby Hurley...

Jesse Morrison

State of the Sun Devils podcast: What is the future of Bobby Hurley at Arizona State

On the latest edition of the State of the Sun Devils podcast, the guys discuss the future of ASU men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: What is Bobby Hurley’s future at Arizona State?

On the latest State of the Sun Devil podcast the guys react to the end of men's basketball season, and wonder what the future of the program will be and how the offseason will unfold. Plus, reactions to football's pro day.

3 days ago

ASU football field...

Dan Bickley

Arizona State reaches rock bottom at end of Pac-12 stay

Rock bottom is mostly a metaphor, a cliché for sports teams that have fallen and can’t get up. But you can find it on the map at ASU.

4 days ago

Michael Crow, Arizona State University president...

Kevin Zimmerman

Now would be a good time for Arizona State to hire an athletic director

Who's to make a decision on Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley without an athletic director? Michael Crow must make a decision soon.

4 days ago

Utah guard Gabe Madsen (55) fouls Arizona State center Shawn Phillips Jr. (9) during the first half...

Arizona Sports

Bobby Hurley: ‘I failed miserably’ in Arizona State’s Pac-12 Tournament loss to Utah

Arizona State's basketball season ended in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas after the team started 4-0 in conference play this year.

5 days ago

Jahii Carson cleared, returns to ASU basketball practice