The Sun Devils’ next leader might be closer than they think. Byron Scott put a cinematic twist on the search for Arizona State’s new men’s basketball coach by confirming he has dropped his name in the hat. It isn’t just an imaginary suggestion. The Sun Devils legend himself has made a major pitch to leverage his three-time NBA championship experience and has done the legwork to get the job. His biggest competition, though, would be a rap star with limited basketball experience.

Arizona State just let Bobby Hurley go after 11 seasons and is actively looking for his replacement. During an appearance on Open Mike, host Michael J. Babcock asked whether Scott would consider taking that job. Not only is the former NBA coach interested, but he’s already hoping to be called for an interview. He broke his silence on the vacancy, declaring he has a “ton of interest” in returning to his alma mater.

“Great university, I would love to have the opportunity to be the head coach at Arizona State University,” Scott said. “I’ve been really talking about this for the last couple of years, about getting back into coaching on the collegiate level. So, this would be great for me.”

But he’s not the only one aiming for the job. Rap legend and current president of basketball operations at the University of New Orleans, Master P, also declared his candidacy for the job. He had also challenged Shaquille O’Neal and Mike Bibby’s Sacramento Hornets squad to a friendly scrimmage.

A lesser-known fact is that Master P has the credentials. He coached youth basketball, and if things had gone differently, he would’ve entered the NBA. He’s credited for developing NBA stars, Lance Stephenson, Brandon Jennings, and DeMar DeRozan in the AAU. Both his sons are college basketball players, too. So his interest in the job is nothing to be scoffed at. But Scott comes with his own legendary resume.

Byron Scott is ticking all the boxes for Arizona State

Master P and Byron Scott’s public campaigns come at a volatile moment for the program, which is reeling from the most significant leadership change in over a decade. After a rollercoaster 11 seasons, which included three NCAA Tournament appearances, Arizona State decided not to renew Bobby Hurley’s contract following a devastating 91-42 loss to Iowa State in the second round of the Big 12 tournament.

Social media noted that even Byron Scott was silent on Hurley’s dismissal after he struggled to maintain momentum in a rapidly shifting landscape and was quick to swoop in for the vacancy. Scott referenced his No. 11 jersey hanging in the program’s rafters as a job reference. If that’s not enough, he framed his potential hiring as a homecoming as well as a strategic necessity to restore the program to its former glory.

In a cutthroat era of NIL and the transfer portal, Scott is confident his 15 years as an NBA player and 18 years as a coach, including training superstars like Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and Chris Paul in New Orleans, uniquely qualify him to manage the modern athlete. Under Scott’s tutelage, both Irving and Paul won NBA Rookie of the Year awards and went on to have successful professional careers.

“With a lot of these colleges now having NIL, you almost have to treat it like the NBA. My experience of being a coach for so many years, connecting with young people… I think I’m the perfect candidate,” Scott declared.

Athletic Director Graham Rossini already listed what he’s looking for. “I want somebody who is going to be excited to be the men’s basketball coach at Arizona State. Not a chance to be a Power 4 head coach. Not a chance to join the Big 12. How is their style, their background, their lived experiences a fit for what we need at this exact moment? That’s a very specific fit,” Rossini said.

An Arizona State alum with NBA success meets that criteria. Meanwhile, Scott is already operating like he’s got the job. He’s been doing his homework for two years. As Rossini has hired an external firm to build a strong candidate pool, Scott is ready to walk into that interview and outdo Master P.