Randy Bennett is finally stepping into the spotlight at Arizona State—his dream job and the only program that could pull him away from a legendary 25-year run at Saint Mary's. But the journey to his introductory press conference took an unexpected detour.

"Sorry about the pump fake on the first one," Bennett joked on Thursday, referencing the five-week delay between his hiring on March 23 and his official introduction. "I should do much better on this one."

What happened? Shortly after arriving in Phoenix to take over the Sun Devils program, the 63-year-old coach fell ill. Arizona State's trainer rushed him to the hospital, where he spent 10 days battling an undisclosed medical issue. "Thank God for Mayo Clinic," Bennett said. "I don't know where I'd be without them. It threw me off a bit, but the last thing I needed to be doing was stressing out about the portal or the job."

For years, Bennett had turned down overtures from bigger programs, content with his family life and his place in the college basketball landscape at Saint Mary's. But when Arizona State came calling after parting ways with Bobby Hurley, the hometown pull was too strong. Growing up in the Phoenix area and watching the Sun Devils in their heyday, this was the one offer he couldn't refuse.

Now fully recovered and hitting his stride, Bennett has wasted no time making his mark. He's filled out his coaching staff and assembled a 12-player roster that ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 for transfer portal hauls, according to the 247 Sports composite. Key additions include versatile forward Paulius Murauskas, who followed Bennett from Saint Mary's after averaging 18.4 points per game, along with former Gaels guard Dillan Shaw. Portland guard Joel Foxwell, Boston University forward Ben Defty, and Gonzaga forward Emmanuel Innocenti round out a formidable group.

Bennett still has two roster spots to fill, but he likes where things stand as he transitions from the West Coast Conference to the high-powered Big 12. "I feel good," he said. "Now I'm catching my stride, working longer days. We've gotten a lot done in five weeks."