Richard Jefferson Critiques Bobby Hurley's Conduct After Arizona State Loss

Arizona State basketball coach Bobby Hurley has faced significant backlash following his team's 81-72 loss to rival Arizona, particularly for instructing his players to skip the traditional postgame handshake. This decision, made to avoid further escalation after a heated game that included an ejection for ASU's BJ Freeman after he headbutted Arizona's Caleb Love, has drawn criticism from former Arizona player Richard Jefferson, who called Hurley 'classless' on social media. Hurley defended his actions, claiming that the opposing team's chatter was unsportsmanlike and stating he wouldn't vote for Love for the All-Big 12 team. The incident has highlighted the growing frustration within the Sun Devils' program, as they have dropped seven of their last ten games and are struggling in the Big 12 standings. The rivalry continues, with the two teams scheduled to meet again on March 4. Hurley’s controversial behavior has sparked debate about sportsmanship and coaching conduct in high-stakes college basketball.