About a year ago, Arizona State assistant coach Levi Watkins delivered the news to De'Quon Lake.
“Look, I’ve seen you five times,’’ Watkins told the Iowa Western Community College big man. “The boss is coming to see you. You better show out.”
In the midst of its second losing season in as many years, ASU knew where it needed help – in the post. Coach Bobby Hurley had to play small for most of the 2017 Pac-12 season, meaning a guard often had to match up against a power forward. In a power conference, that’s a death blow, and by season’s end, ASU’s defensive numbers reflected as much.