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Gonzaga's Emmanuel Innocenti announces commitment to Randy Bennett, Arizona State
TL;DR
Emmanuel Innocenti, a junior wing from Gonzaga, has committed to Arizona State under new coach Randy Bennett. This marks Innocenti as one of the first transfers to join Bennett after his move from Saint Mary's.
Apr. 13—New Arizona State coach Randy Bennett is adding a familiar name to his first roster in Tempe.
Emmanuel Innocenti, the junior wing who spent his last two seasons at Gonzaga, announced Monday he is committing to the Sun Devils.
Innocenti considered playing for Bennett two years earlier, telling The Spokesman-Review in January he chose between Gonzaga and Saint Mary's after leaving Tarleton State in 2024.
The Ivory Coast native becomes one of the first transfers to commit to Arizona State after Bennett was hired by the Big 12 program, ending the coach's 25-year run at Saint Mary's, where he made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and had frequent run-ins with main West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga.
Innocenti faced Bennett's Saint Mary's teams five times over his two seasons at Gonzaga and played a big role in the Zags' 73-65 home victory over the Gaels on Jan. 31, scoring 10 points to go with five rebounds and two assists.
The junior wing was Gonzaga's eighth-leading scorer, averaging 6.0 points to go with 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Innocenti often handled Gonzaga's top defensive assignment and routinely played 30-plus minutes toward the end of the season, logging 34 in the team's NCAA Tournament opener against Kennesaw State and 39 in a Round of 32 loss to Texas.
Innocenti started in 29 of 35 games ranked third on the team in minutes at 24.3 per game, sitting behind only Graham Ike (31.2) and Braden Huff (25.4). He became the first player in the transfer portal era to leave Gonzaga after starting in a majority of games the season prior.
Innocenti also becomes the first of five outgoing Gonzaga transfers to announce a commitment. Point guard Braeden Smith, center Ismaila Diagne, wing Steele Venters and reserve guard Cade Orness all entered the transfer portal shortly after Gonzaga's season ended.
The Zags picked up their first transfer commitment on Sunday when Houston guard Isiah Harwell, a former GU target and top-20 national prospect at Wasatch Academy, announced plans to join Mark Few's program.
Q&A
Why did Emmanuel Innocenti transfer to Arizona State?
Emmanuel Innocenti transferred to Arizona State to play for new coach Randy Bennett, whom he had considered playing for two years earlier.
What is Randy Bennett's coaching history before Arizona State?
Before Arizona State, Randy Bennett had a 25-year tenure at Saint Mary's, where he made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.
How did Emmanuel Innocenti perform against Saint Mary's while at Gonzaga?
Emmanuel Innocenti played against Saint Mary's five times during his two seasons at Gonzaga, contributing significantly to a 73-65 victory with 10 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
