After a dismal debut season for Bobby Hurley and the Arizona State Sun Devils, hope is on the way in the form of 6’6” 195lb small forward, Sam Cunliffe. As the first commit under the Hurley regime, Cunliffe is prepared to take the Sun Devils to the top of the Pac-12. “I just want to go down to ASU and be the best I can be to help the team.” explained the high school senior.

Coming from Rainier Beach High School (Seattle,Washington), Cunliffe is expected to make an impact from day one.

 

    In a stellar season that culminated in a Ball is Life All-American Game appearance, Cunliffe proved to the nation that he is ready to become an elite player at the next level. “My best traits are being able to score, shooting the jumper, getting past defenders, and getting to the paint,” Cunliffe continued, “I just have a knack for scoring. That’s what I’ve been good at.”

His scoring ability is quite the necessity for Arizona State, after finishing 11th in the Pac-12 conference last season. “They kept on telling me how much they needed me and how much they love my game.” Cunliffe said.

At the time of his commitment in June of 2015, Cunliffe only held offers from around four schools and wasn’t considered to be an elite recruit. Then came the summer. That summer, Cunliffe elevated into the national spotlight, resulting in a Top-50 ranking in the ESPN 100 which highlights the top 100 players in the Class of 2016. His sudden attention came with lots of criticism from fans all over Washington, as he said, “Out here high school basketball is really big. There are a lot of people at the games and we’re like the biggest basketball school out here. So, I get a lot of hate, but I just roll with the punches.”

 

    Cunliffe’s ability to block out the hate has allowed him to focus on his game and continually improve throughout his high school career. When he first became seriously involved with basketball, his trainer, Jeff Harris, had a big influence on his ability to rise into the national spectrum. “He just pushed me and pushed me. I wasn’t that good when I started working out with him, but I worked out every single day, before school and after school.”

Practicing every day definitely took it’s toll on Cunliffe, especially in the classroom. Being a student athlete, prioritizing school and sports is always a challenge, and Cunliffe explained that it wasn’t easy to find a balance between the two: “It’s been hard for me because of how much I’m in the gym. I don’t think there’s anybody that’s in the gym as much as me, because I don’t do much besides that,” Cunliffe said. “Whatever school work I have to do, I don’t procrastinate on it. That’s definitely been a struggle for me, worrying about my grades and balancing them with my basketball career. It’s what I really need to be doing.”

 

    Between basketball and school, it can be challenging for Cunliffe to find time to be a normal teenager. “I like to hang out with my sisters. They’re my best friends,” he said.

Cunliffe has eight sisters and there is no doubt that they have had an affect on his life. “If you can imagine, it’s just crazy, but I don’t really know anything else. They’re good sisters, they take care of me and it’s fun.”

 

    Now, as Sam Cunliffe prepares to begin a new chapter in his life at Arizona State, all eyes are on him with coach Bobby Hurley’s reputation in the balance. Cunliffe should be a player to follow next year, as he looks to lead ASU to new heights and reach his ultimate goal of becoming an NBA player. “Making it to the NBA would be a dream come true because I’ve put so much work into that and I want to make sure that I do everything I can to achieve that goal. If I don’t make it, I want to be able to say that I did everything I could.”