Bill O'Rear

UCLA Athletics announced today that it received more than $41 million in private philanthropic support from more than 6,500 donors during fiscal year 2025-26. The year’s momentum represents an 80.6% increase in fundraising over the past two years.

@KenLocati Big guys often develop at a different pace. Look at Nathan Mensah over his Aztecs career. Thokbor is quick with incredible length. He has good hands, can score inside & gives SDSU a needed rim protector every time he plays. He’ll only get better as he gets stronger & plays more.

@billohoops Agreed. I think a lot of people just remember his spot minutes last year, but you can't judge a player based on rarely playing & in those situations. The more time he plays the faster he'll develop & contribute. I see him playing the role S Johnson played in '25 (3rd "5").

I recently had the opportunity to watch some of the 2026-27 Aztecs men’s basketball team work out at the JAM Center & came away impressed with the budding team chemistry, specific individual talents & potential as San Diego State plays in the PAC-12 this coming year. #Aztecs

Note: The European pros cannot practice with the Aztecs until they’re cleared by the NCAA. But they can work out on their own. Hopefully all three Euro players will be able to join the team in the near future & contribute to the squad’s overall 2026-27 success.

Two other players, transfers Nick Anderson & Luca Vincini, are expected to arrive on campus soon. Nick, a 6-3 shooting guard from Texas, & Vincini, a 6-9 freshman forward from Italy, add to the talent mix on the 2026-27 Aztecs.

— Raymar Gonzales, 6-3, So. guard from San Diego. Raymar returns after not seeing much action last year. He’s a solid young guard with a consistent 3-point stroke & should continue to get better this year while practicing against the Aztecs’ 9 or 10 player rotation.

— David (pronounced “Da-Vid”) Torresani, 6-2, Fr. point guard from Italy. The athletic & promising young PG is quick, can defend & has good overall skills. He seems like a good fit in the Aztec program & could provide a positive impact on the floor anytime he plays.

— Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry, 6-11, 250 pounds, Sr. transfer from Sac State/UNLV. Bear gives the Aztecs dominant size in the paint, a boost to inside scoring & a force on the offensive glass. If he can stay healthy, it’ll help SDSU on both sides of the ball.

— Isaiah Sy, 6-7, Sr. transfer, from Oregon State. Isaiah has a smooth shooting stroke from 3 & with his length, will be able to guard multiple positions. He could provide the Aztecs with an offensive spark off the bench plus add to the frontcourt’s depth. A nice pickup for SDSU.

— Zach White, 6-6, Fr. guard. Zach is very athletic & a promising young player with the potential to be an elite defender. He has solid offensive skills & a knack for making winning plays. He could have a productive career for SDSU. The more he plays, the better he will get.

— Luka Skoric, 6-9, Fr. forward, from Croatia. Luka is a gifted offensive player, who can score from all three levels and has an excellent perimeter shot, including from 3. He could be one of the team’s best players if he, along with the European transfers, are declared eligible.

— Chance Gladden, 6-4, So. guard. Chance has quality handles & looks solid as an all-around player. He will be high in the guard rotation. Last year at Boston University, he had 3-game winning shots. He has a high bball IQ.

— Latrell Davis, 6-3 junior guard: Latrell redshirted last year. This year, the high-energy guard from England could be the Aztecs’ most explosive scorer. He can produce buckets in bunches from all 3 levels. He’s pesky on D, a willing passer & a leader. Could have a big year.

— Tae Simmons, 6-6 So, forward. Had a rock solid freshman season & will be a key front court player, one of the team’s best rebounders, a strong inside scorer & defender plus he’s one of the team leaders. Tae should have a really good sophomore season.

— Elzie Harrington, 6-5, So. point guard: Will play a key role & is expected to be fully recovered from off-season surgery. He can score from all 3 levels, plays strong D & will provide leadership. A rising star in the program.

I’ve followed the Aztecs closely the past 10 years since Coach Dutcher took over for the legendary Steve Fisher. Good luck to the Aztecs this season. Here are my observations on this year’s players that I’ve seen so far:

The success of this year’s Aztecs will also lean on the players’ overall health & the team’s ability to improve & be consistent all season. Last year’s team was talent-loaded but injuries, some chemistry unrest & a handful of players underperforming led to a frustrating year.

But in order for this year’s Aztecs to be “a very good team” like the coaches believe can happen, Dutcher is waiting on the NCAA to approve the eligibility of his European pro recruits & that could make a huge difference. That approval could come any day or might not until later.

The Aztec coaches know there is a tremendous amount of work to be done — building individual & team skills, getting the new players to buy into the program’s culture, growing team chemistry, creating daily competition to sharpen everything & letting the players find their roles.

There is a fresh excitement in the gym with Coach Brian Dutcher & his staff rolling up their sleeves to develop the overall revamped team, with top returnees Elzie Harrington, Tae Simmons & redshirt Latrell Davis showcasing their leadership roles & blending with the newcomers.