Bobby Hurley showed up at McKale Center last week wearing a "Guard U" hoodie as game-day attire. Strange choice.
Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley has some words with one of the game officials after a series of calls during the first half of their Big 12 game against Arizona, Jan. 14, 2026, in Tucson.
Guard U had a lifespan of about six weeks in 2017-18 when ASU began the season 12-0, climbing to No. 3 in the AP poll, winning at Kansas. But that 12-0 streak ended with an 84-78 loss at McKale Center, and the Sun Devils deflated, finishing 20-12 and just 8-10 in the Pac-12, unranked.
The Guard U nickname reflected on Sun Devil guards Tra Holder, Kodi Justice, Shannon Evans and Remy Martin. None reached the NBA. Only Holder and Martin were ever All-Pac-12 players, and Martin transferred to Kansas as a senior. None reached any further with ASU in the NCAA Tournament than the round of 68.
I can't picture a Houston coach wearing a Phi Slama Jama game-day shirt eight years after that nickname was created in the early ’80s, nor a Michigan coach wearing a "Fab 5" shirt eight years after the 1992 Final Four.
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Arizona became known as Point Guard U two decades ago after a succession of point guards — Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Jason Gardner all became NBA players or All-Americans, with all playing either in the Final Four or the Elite Eight. I never saw Lute Olson in a "Point Guard U" shirt. No chance.
The only other college basketball nickname that still carries weight is Arkansas' "40 Minutes of Hell" nickname from the 1993 national championships.
A more fitting hoodie for Hurley might've been "40 Minutes of Relevance."
ASU's Bobby Hurley making what may be his last appearance at McKale | Greg Hansen
