Brian in Mesa

Diogu to return to Sun Devils
March 12, 2004
The Sports Network

Tempe, AZ (Sports Network) - Arizona State forward Ike Diogu announced Thursday that he will return to the Sun Devils for his junior season.

"I am continuing my education and basketball career at Arizona State," Diogu said Thursday. "I never really thought about leaving, I took a few days to make sure my family understood and agreed with the decision." Diogu averaged a league-leading 22.8 points and 36.9 minutes per game and also posted a league-best 17 20-point games this season. He set the Pac-10 record with 243 made free throws, eclipsing the 237 mark set by Oregon State's Mel Counts in 1963-64.

Diogu has scored in double digits in all 59 career games, the best active streak in the nation. He led ASU in scoring in 12 of the final 14 games. His 22.8 points per game is tied for the second-best mark in ASU history with Seabern Hill (1969-70). Eddie House is the ASU record holder at 23.0 points per game in 1999-2000.

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HONEY BADGER DON'T CARE

Chaplin

Good decision.

It's funny, though, how he was projected to maybe fall into the late 1st round of the draft. Doesn't make any sense to me since Andre is projected to go top 10, and I think Diogu is probably the best player in the Pac-10...

Renz

With Diogu back for another season, maybe ASU can rise from 10th in the conference to as high as 9th!

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MaoTosiFanClub

I didn't know Diogu was a masochist.

Chap - NBA teams draft on potential, not production.

Chaplin

And...?

Okafor wouldn't be drafted on production?

MaoTosiFanClub

Okafor's not going #1. The high schooler Dwight Howard is, that's drafting on potential, not production. If you follow the draft you'd know that bad teams tend to draft players very high on upside only, as compared to production.

On a side note, I don't see what all you Suns fans are so set on drafting Okafor so high. He's a 6'9 center with back problems.

sly fly

So, you'd rather see the Suns draft another 18 year old "project"?? Not sure too many fans want another super young guy who will develop 5 years down the road.

Okafor would bring experience and athleticism next to Amare.

Diogu may be a tweener. I still think his game is broad enough to adapt to he NBA. Hell, if Mikki Moore can get minutes in the league... the there's lots of room for Diogu.

Chaplin

How is it you seem to have the "inside scoop" on Okafor, when it is projected that he will go #1 or #2?? He WILL be drafted on production--whether it's #1 or #2.

MaoTosiFanClub

I'm not saying Okafor's a bad player, he's just not the answer in the middle that Suns fans have been looking for since the 70s. He's a power forward, the Suns already have a very good one.

slinslin

Why would the Suns pass up on a 18yrs old 6'10-6'11 athletic freak with supposedly great attitude?

He looks like the only guy it would be worth keeping the pick.

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Tier 2 Oladipo, Porter, Shabazz and Burke
Tier 3 McCollum, Caldwell-Powell, Gobert, Schroeder

WizardOfAz

I hope the powers that be at ASU reward him for this decision.

Every year they play a horse crap schedule that never get them close to a national TV game. Get this guy a half-way decent schedule so that he can be on TV and seen by some people.

Ryanwb

They can easily do that by going far into the Tourney....sweet 16 would be nice!

WizardOfAz

Great point.

Look at that momentum they wasted after beating Memphis last year in the NCAAs. Ike was in every pre-season publication and there was abolutley no support from the school. None.