3 biggest questions facing San Diego State basketball entering 2026-27

What does San Diego State still need to address to compete in the new-look Pac-12?

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; San Diego State Aztecs head coach Brian Dutcher reacts in the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at UD Arena. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Brian Dutcher and the San Diego State Aztecs have built almost an entirely new roster heading into 2026-27, the program's first year in the new look Pac-12.

Only two of last year's top ten scorers - forwards Elzie Harrington and Tae Simmons - are back in the red and black, forcing the staff to pursue talent via the transfer portal and the international market.

Presently, SDSU has filled 11 of 15 roster spots, with three transfers, three international newcomers, and one freshman joining Simmons, Harrington, redshirt guard Latrell Davis, and seldom-used center Thokbor Majak for 2026-27.

The team's lineup and rotation are likely close to set, barring any big splashes, which leaves fans with quite a few questions as the team tries to compete with Gonzaga, Utah State, Colorado State, and the rest of the Pac-12 starting this year.

Below is a look at the three biggest remaining questions for coach Dutcher and the Aztecs:

1. How quickly will the international newcomers adjust?

The biggest factor in determining how successful San Diego State will be next year is how the team's trio of international additions performs in their first year stateside.

A pair of 6'9 forwards in Luca Vincini (Italy) and Luka Skoric (Croatia) are joined by Italian guard David Torresani on Dutcher's new look roster.

Torresani will likely come off the bench behind the team's two star transfer portal additions in the backcourt - Chance Gladden (Boston) and Nick Anderson (Rice) - while Skoric and Vincini will compete to start up front.

Vincini is 22 years old, giving him a nice advantage in terms of immediate college-readiness, but a steep learning curve for international players has always existed - and relying on three potential rotation players to make that jump simultaneously is less than ideal.

Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry and Tae Simmons give SDSU college experience up front, but this team will need at least one of the forwards to play a big role in order to compete on the glass in the Pac-12 - and probably all three will have to peak this year for San Diego State to be back in NCAA Tournament contention.

2. Can the Aztecs stay healthy?

Dec 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Elzie Harrington (3) | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The track record for San Diego State's roster doesn't exactly paint a picture of a squad that will be healthy all season long. At the five, you have Cherry, who played just six games last year after suffering a knee injury against UCLA while at Sacramento State.

And then on the wing you have Elzie Harrington, who played 23 games last year and missed key time down the stretch with a lower leg injury - an injury that he recently had surgery on. Dutcher reported the sophomore wing should be healthy by the fall, but any delay could impact his readiness for next season.

Thokbor Majak has dealt with injuries in the past as well, and after injuries derailed Magoon Gwath and Reese Waters the past few years in San Diego, it is something Aztec fans are really hoping doesn't rear its ugly head again in 2026-27.

3. Does this team have enough size/rebounding?

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) defends Sacramento State Hornets forward Jeremiah Cherry (9) | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Cherry is a mountain of a man, weighing 280 pounds last year for the Hornets and playing as heavy as 310 while at the junior college level. While that plays into the injury concern, it does give the Aztecs a massive frontcourt presence that should succeed at protecting the rim and snagging rebounds.

However, the size outside of Cherry is quite underwhelming for SDSU's current roster.

Simmons, the team's projected starting power forward, measures just 6'6 and 230 pounds. It's certainly possible one of the team's 6'9 international forwards - Vincini or Skoric - steps into that role, but neither projects as a bruiser up front.

After that, the team is down to Majak - who has played 31 total minutes the past two years at SDSU - which makes adding at least one more big body a crucial next step for coach Dutcher and his staff if this team has any hope of hanging with the top Pac-12 frontcourts in 2026-27.