Arizona State Sun Devils Are Smart to Retire Eddie House's Number

On Tuesday, the Arizona State Sun Devils announced that they had plans to retire Eddie House‘s No. 5 jersey and it’s about time that they do.

Many basketball fans today, may see House as an undersized sharpshooter who has had a decent NBA career with a number of quality organizations. Well, that would be right, but not many fans remember the time and the unique performances that House put on while a member of the Sun Devils’ program from 1996-2000.

During his career with Arizona State, House became the school’s all-time leading scorer, finishing his illustrious four year career with 2,044 total points. In January of his senior season, House poured in a ridiculous 61 points in a Pac-10 match-up against California. House earned the Pac-10 Player of the Year award during the 1999-00 season and he will become the fifth Sun Devil all-time to have his jersey retired in the rafters at Wells Fargo Arena.

House’s 61-point performance on Jan. 8, 2000 outscored 55 Division I squads on that same night and it marked just the sixth time since 1978 that a player had more than 60 points in a game that involved two Division I squads. It’s quite impressive. House was also the first Pac-10 player to notch four, 40-point games in one season and he posted eight 30-point outings in all.

Ironically enough, House’s honor comes in a new era in which Arizona State is starred and led overall by an undersized guard by the name of Jahii Carson. Although Carson is not the dynamite scorer or shooter, his play making skills may remind some Sun Devils’ fans of House himself.

 

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