Arizona State Hosts Grand Canyon as Tyon Grant-Foster Makes Season Debut

As the Antelopes prepare to visit the Sun Devils, Tyon Grant-Foster, Joson Sanon and Jayden Quaintance look to make the most of this matchup and help raise their draft stocks.

Mar 24, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7) is introduced before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images

Arizona State has started the season 2-1 after dropping their most recent game to top-ten ranked Gonzaga. While the Bulldogs may be their toughest matchup prior to conference play, they are set to host the Grand Canyon Antelopes this evening in the season debut of one of the most productive players in college basketball, Tyon Grant-Foster. Arizona State’s top draft prospects have not had flawless starts to the year, but they could use this game to find their footing, as this is one of their last mid-major showdowns before entering Power Five play. Let’s take a look at some of the most highly anticipated prospects to monitor in this matchup.

---

Joson Sanon | Guard | Arizona State | 6’5” | 190 lbs | Freshman

Joson Sanon holds onto the rim at the Rick Jalbert All-Star Basketball Challenge. / Ryan Feeney/Special to The Standard-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Joson Sanon entered this season as a projected first-round pick, and although he has struggled early on, he still has a chance to build on his game and regain his place among other impressive prospects. Through Arizona State’s first three games, Sanon has averaged 8.3 points, two rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 steals per game but has struggled to get shots to fall consistently. His three-point shooting has widely been considered his strong suit, as he has connected on 41.7% of his attempts from deep. While this is solid, he is also shooting 40.9% from the field overall and 40% from the free-throw line, which is far less promising.

The numbers come from a small sample size, so there is still plenty of time to improve. Regardless of his productivity not jumping off the page, he has shown great flashes of what he could eventually become. Not only does his jump shooting offer positive long-term upside, but he has also shown impressive flashes of attacking out of the triple-threat position. He has a very effective jab step that he uses to create space before getting shots off or exploding past his defender.

---

Jayden Quaintance | Forward | Arizona State | 6’9” | 225 lbs

Arizona State men's basketball player Jayden Quaintance at Big 12 Media Day on Oct. 23, 2024. / Michelle Gardner/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jayden Quaintance joined the Sun Devils after an impressive year at Overtime Elite, and while he is still clearly a work in progress, he has shown flashes of what made him such an intriguing recruit. Currently averaging 5.3 points, five rebounds, 1.7 assists, one steal and four blocks, Quaintance’s offensive game appears much further behind his defensive skills. He has struggled with efficiency, shooting 35.7% from the field, with the majority of his attempts coming at the rim. Despite these concerns and his underwhelming rebounding numbers, his natural feel for defending the interior has been very impressive.

Quaintance has recorded multiple blocks in each game this season, including six blocks in the season opener against Idaho State. While his all-around game still looks raw, it’s not a safe bet to assume he will enter this year’s draft, but the natural feel he has displayed makes him an intriguing player to keep an eye on.

---

Tyon Grant-Foster | Guard | Grand Canyon | 6’7” | 220 lbs

GCU Lopes guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7) shoots a 3-pointer against the Utah Tech Trailblazers at GCU Arena in Phoenix on Feb. 15, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tyon Grant-Foster elected to return to Grand Canyon for one more year of college basketball after testing the draft waters following a remarkable end to his junior season. Even without Grant-Foster, the Antelopes have started the season 2-0, including a 74-72 victory over Western Kentucky. Now, with the key piece of their March Madness run from a year ago returning, this matchup has garnered much more attention. Grant-Foster is a do-it-all player who makes a clear impact on both sides of the ball with great skill and athleticism. As he makes his final push toward the NBA, focusing on defense and playmaking could be key to raising his draft stock. 

Grant-Foster has a great frame at 6-foot-7 and 220 lbs, which should help him cover a variety of roles in the NBA. His scoring ability is evident when looking at his stats, but his passing stands out much more when watching game tape than it does in his season averages from a year ago. He has the potential to be one of the best players in the nation this season, as well as one of the most interesting upperclassmen in the 2025 NBA draft.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

---