The Arizona State men’s basketball coaching search just took one of its most surprising turns yet. According to insider Kyle Odegard, Percy “Master P” Miller, five-time Grammy-nominated artist and current president of basketball operations at the University of New Orleans, is interested in becoming ASU’s next head coach.
To many, the name might register as a punchline. It shouldn’t but his AAU résumé is legit and filled with NBA talent.
Master P is interested in the Arizona State men's basketball coaching gig, per sources.
He is currently the president of basketball ops for the University of New Orleans. Coached guys like DeMar DeRozan, Lance Stephenson and Brandon Jennings in AAU ball. pic.twitter.com/qhecMUo581
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) March 17, 2026
Bobby Hurley Is Out in Tempe
Instead of buying out Bobby Hurley’s contract, Arizona State opted to let Hurley finish out his deal. But once the Sun Devils’ lost in the Big 12 Tournament to Iowa State, it opened the door for athletic director Graham Rossini to find his next men’s basketball coach. And the search is moving fast. The official transfer portal window opens April 7, and Rossini will want a hire locked in before then.
The prominent names in the mix include St. Mary’s Randy Bennett, former Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, and rising candidates Eric Olen of New Mexico and Jerrod Calhoun of Utah State. And then there’s Master P.
More Than a Musician
The 55-year-old was on his way to playing basketball at the University of Houston when a knee injury rerouted his life. He built one of the most successful music empires in hip-hop history — but the hoop dreams never left him. He earned preseason roster spots with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors, got into one preseason game as a 6’4 guard, dropped eight points, and was cut. He kept going, joining the CBA’s Fort Wayne Fury before the playing chapter finally closed.
What came next is the real résumé.
The AAU Legacy That Demands Respect
Master P’s AAU program, “P. Miller’s Ballers,” won three national championships. Along the way, he coached DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings, Lance Stephenson, and Jalen Suggs — four future NBA players who didn’t just make rosters, but shaped the league across three generations.
DeRozan became a four-time NBA All-Star. Jennings was a first-round pick who played eleven seasons in the league. Stephenson was a cornerstone of Pacers teams that pushed LeBron James to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Suggs was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. These aren’t depth chart names — they’re players who defined eras.
Miller has been doing this for over 15 years, mentoring young men on and off the court with the stated goal of preparing them for life beyond the game. That’s not a hobby. That’s a coaching philosophy.
Why Rossini Should At Least Pick Up the Phone
Master P has never coached a college program. That’s a real gap, and Rossini won’t ignore it. But consider the moment Arizona State is actually in.
College basketball in 2026 runs on NIL, recruiting relationships, and the ability to walk into a living room and make a family trust you with their son. Master P has spent fifteen years doing exactly that — with kids who became All-Stars. He carries a cultural presence that no other candidate in this search can match, and in an era where program-building looks less like Xs and Os and more like brand management and player development, that matters more than it once did.
Rossini has shown a willingness to bet on unconventional profiles before. Master P is almost certainly not getting this job — but if Rossini doesn’t have a conversation with him, he’s leaving something on the table.
Percy Miller has never needed anyone to take him seriously before making his next move. That’s probably worth something too.
