KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Standing on the Big 12 basketball court at Big 12 Media Days, Alston Mason felt a sense of belonging.

Mason, who grew up in the Kansas City metro area, played high school basketball at Olathe West and Blue Valley Northwest and led the Huskies to a 25-2 record as a junior and 23-4 record as a senior in 2020-21.

While the Big 12 represents uncertain terrain for Arizona State, that is not the case for Mason, a local player who began his college career in the league. Mason, a three-star recruit coming out of BVNW, chose to begin his college journey at Oklahoma. There, he made his first outing in America’s top basketball conference, where Sooners head coach Porter Moser averaged 6.2 minutes per game.

“It was definitely a learning experience. “Just being a student, you learn a lot when you’re in college,” Mason said of his time at Oklahoma. “Then if you add basketball, you grow. “I think at first a lot of it was just growing pains that I had to learn.”

Sooner disappointment led Mason to another transfer, just one state away from his family’s home in Kansas.

“I am saddened by my situation and have learned that I must continue to get better and develop both as a player and as a person,” he said. “That was the biggest thing I learned coming into the next transfer.”

Mason played at Missouri State for two seasons. During the 2023-24 season, he was an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection after averaging 17.5 points and 3.6 assists per game for the Bears.

“He’s very consistent,” Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley said. “Very balanced. Very calm. He doesn’t get angry and he’s composed, which is a great thing to have in a point guard. “The point guard will reflect the team’s identity to some extent – but he’s also confident as a player and very good at getting to where he is.”

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Mason’s father, Alton Mason, played 90 games for the Sun Devils from 1998-2001, averaging 13.4 points per game as a senior. That makes Alston’s return to the Big 12 a family reunion in Tempe, Arizona.

“His dad played at Arizona State, I love that,” Hurley said. “It will mean something to him to play for Arizona State this year.”

Mason said that being a Sun Demon means a lot. “Growing up, I went to camp as a kid and seeing those colors and being around ASU always caught my attention. It means a lot to be able to wear No. 1 and leave my mark on it. “I try to do my best to leave a legacy.”

Despite joining the Sun Devils and Alston’s father’s connections to ASU, his Kansas roots have him eagerly awaiting the chance to take on the Jayhawks; Hurley’s Sun Devils had done that in each of the previous two nonconference matchups.

“It’s exciting to be able to go to high school here and see some of these places like Allen Fieldhouse and be able to play for these people and put on a show,” Mason said. “When I was at OU, everyone was saying KU was the team to beat — and it’s very hard to win against Bill Self, so I’m hoping it’ll be a good game when we match up with them.”

Mason will wear the maroon and gold to make several trips to the Midwest and allow friends and family to attend games. During Big 12 play, the Sun Devils will play away games at Kansas on January 8, at Oklahoma State on February 9, and at Kansas State on February 23.

In March, Mason will return to the T-Mobile Center for the Big 12 Tournament.

“I’m familiar with this arena,” he said. “It’s nice to see familiar faces and a familiar environment.”

Mason, Hurley and the Sun Devils will open the season against Idaho State on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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