Kings' Marvin Bagley's Brother Marcus Commits to ASU over California, Arizona

If Marcus Bagley is ever going to join his brother Marvin in the NBA, it will be after a stop at Arizona State.

The younger Bagley is a member of the 2020 recruiting class and announced he picked the Sun Devils on Monday:

Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com noted Bagley chose Arizona State as part of a final three that included Arizona and California. While the 6’7" and 220-pound forward is partially known for being the younger brother of a Sacramento Kings player, he has already turned heads as a college prospect in his own right.

According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, he is a 4-star prospect and the No. 50 overall player, No. 14 small forward and No. 8 player from the state of California in his class. 

Borzello pointed out there is an Arizona State connection beyond the fact Marvin played nearby at Corona del Sol high school in Tempe, Arizona. Bagley's grandfather, Joe Caldwell, played at Arizona State and had his number retired by the Pac-12 school before he laced it up for the Detroit Pistons and St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks in the NBA.

The ESPN report called Arizona State a "heavy favorite down the stretch" for Bagley and noted Arizona never officially extended a scholarship offer.

Bagley's length and versatility make him stand out as someone who can play multiple positions and handle the ball from a forward spot. He possesses the athleticism to attack the basket but is also capable of scoring with his jumper and can bother perimeter shooters with his length on the defensive end.

Josh Gershon of 247Sports called Bagley's "pure scoring ability" his best trait on the floor because he "can efficiently score from all three levels."

Arizona State hasn't made it past the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament since the 1994-95 campaign but is trending in the right direction under head coach Bobby Hurley. It made back-to-back Big Dances the last two years, marking the first time it accomplished such a feat since 1980 and 1981.

Landing playmakers like Bagley is a surefire way to ensure the program's improvement continues.