Jakyi Miles didn’t make Arizona State wait long, and he didn’t force himself far from home either.
The Compass Prep guard announced Monday afternoon that he is headed to ASU, giving new head coach Randy Bennett his first major addition since taking over in Tempe. Miles made the decision on the air with AZFamily, saying, "It's just home," Miles told AZFamily live on-air. "It's right there in my backyard."
That hometown pull helped the Sun Devils win out against a strong group of suitors that included Baylor, California, Florida State and Stanford. Miles arrives with a four-star rating, ranked as the top player in Arizona’s Class of 2028 and a Top-40 2028 talent nationally. He is also No. 19 in the SC Next 60 for the Class of 2028.
Miles, though, may not stay in that class much longer. "Kai Kai" plans to reclassify to the Class of 2027, which would put him in line to join ASU next season.
"The coaching staff, they've always been consistent," Miles said. "They believe in me, let me do what I do, I just felt a connection with them.
That connection was a major part of the pitch. "His (Bennett's) communication has been consistent," Miles said.
"So that was one of the big parts for me. Giving me the leeway to do what I do, what I've been doing throughout the years, at ASU, was a big part for me too."
Miles’ roots in the state run deep. Though he is currently playing in Chandler, his hometown is officially Mesa, and he spent the first two seasons of his high school career at Mesa High School.
Westwood High, the alma mater of Bennett, is just 15 minutes up the road from Mesa High. Bennett also played two seasons of college basketball at Mesa Community College before moving on to San Diego.
For Bennett, the hometown ties are becoming part of the recruiting story in Tempe. The former longtime Saint Mary’s coach has made no secret of how much the chance to come home meant to him, and now that message is resonating on the trail as well.
In the broader class picture, Miles is listed as ASU’s first 2028 commit, but with the reclassification plan, he would effectively count as the program’s third 2027 signing. He joins Texas forward Howard Williams and Florida forward Carson Crawford, both four-stars.
ASU is currently No. 23 in the 2027 class rankings, and Miles’ addition should give that number a lift.
A day after ASU picked up a quality exhibition win in New Mexico, the Randy Bennett era in Tempe is already building momentum with the regular season approaching.
In Other News...
ASU Gets A Prime-Time Colorado Test Fans Will Be Talking About
Arizona States matchup with Colorado now has a prime-time feel, with the Sun Devils set to host the Buffaloes on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. It will be Colorados first trip to Tempe since joining the Big 12, which gives the meeting a little extra weight beyond the usual conference backdrop and should make it one of the more talked-about home dates on ASUs schedule.
Kenny Dillingham and Deion Sanders both already weighed in on the other program, adding to the buzz around a game that brings two of the leagues most visible coaches onto the same stage. For Arizona State, it is the kind of late-season test that tends to carry more than one storyline, especially when the spotlight and the stakes line up in the same window. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Showed Off A Dangerous Offense And One Clear Concern
Arizona States exhibition trip to Albuquerque offered an early glimpse of what could make this team hard to handle this season. The Sun Devils beat New Mexico 91-86, with Paulius Murauskas and Dillan Shaw doing most of the damage and combining for 53 points. Murauskas came close to a double-double, and the scoring burst gave Arizona State a reason to feel encouraged about how much punch it can bring when its offense is moving.
The flip side was just as visible, though, and it came when New Mexico started chipping away late. Jake Hall had a rough opening stretch before helping spark the comeback effort, finishing with 19 points as the Lobos made the Sun Devils sweat it out. For Arizona State, the win still counts as a useful preview, but it also left one obvious question hanging over a roster that can clearly score: how well will it hold up when an opponent puts the pressure on? [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Gets A Spotlight Game Against A Desperate Colorado Team
Colorados next two weeks will tell a lot about how the rest of its season unfolds, and Arizona State is part of that stretch in a big way. The Buffaloes head into their Oct. 31 game against Kansas State riding a five-game losing streak, and they are still looking for their first conference win. ESPNs Football Power Index has also left them with a low probability of getting to six wins, which puts added pressure on every remaining opportunity.
Arizona State gets the benefit of the spotlight in the next matchup, with the Sun Devils set to face Colorado on Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. For a Colorado team trying to stop the slide, it is another chance to reset on a stage that will be easy to find. For Arizona State, it is the kind of late-season window that can carry real weight if the Buffs bring the desperation their situation demands. [Read more 🡒]