Aaron Cohen

After career stops at Furman, Coastal Carolina and Wofford, Boynton earned his first long-term position as an assistant coach with South Carolina. Coach Darrin Horn identified his eye for talent and placed Boynton in charge of recruiting. In the summer of 2010, Boynton played a major role in landing USC’s best recruiting class in recent history. At South Carolina, Boynton developed a relationship with Gamecocks assistant Brad Underwood and followed him, first to Stephen F.

With Arizona, Arkansas, LSU and Alabama also in pursuit, the Spears family developed a relationship with Texas coach Sean Miller. When prep season wrapped, Spears took a series of official and unofficial visits to Austin, where his sister Macaria, a volleyball star, was already enrolled. “Miller has a basketball plan for him, and he has coached and developed some of the best in the game: Deandre Ayton and Aaron Gordon,” Spears Sr. told ESPN.

The Sun Devils will maintain last year’s defensive identity, while adding perimeter threats to space the floor. Transfer guard Ayanna-Sarai Darrington, who led the MAC in field goal percentage last year (56.7) will slot in nicely alongside Brackens and Carrera to complete one of the best preseason frontcourts in the Big 12. In total, the Sun Devils will gain 57 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists per game, against just six points, three rebounds and an assist lost.