Zylan Cheatham entered the ASU media room as he often does after games and practices on Wednesday, and spoke with a string of reporters inside Wells Fargo Arena.
He answered questions about ASU’s upset loss to Princeton, he discussed how the team hoped to improve, and he discussed his interactions with head coach Bobby Hurley. He did so with the same infectious smile and attitude he often has on the court.
Then he delved into a topic that took a much higher precedent over anything related to basketball. He began to talk about the tragic loss he had been dealt on the same evening that ASU lost to Princeton.