3 San Diego State basketball players who could enter the NCAA transfer portal after March Madness

Brian Dutcher and the San Diego State Aztecs got an earlier start to the offseason than expected, giving them some extra time to comprehend life in the era of NIL and the transfer portal.

The Aztecs’ season came to a stunning halt when they lost the Mountain West Tournament title game to Utah State and then were snubbed the next day by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee because of a weak resume that left them in the First Four Out.

SDSU declined invitations to the NIT and The Crown, and Dutcher waded into exit interviews to determine who’s going to return for the Aztecs’ move into the rebuilt Pac-12 next season.

Dutcher understands what mid-majors like SDSU face in today’s environment.

“You have to understand this: Everybody’s in the portal,” Dutcher said in his wrap-up news conference. “If they have an agent, they’re in the portal. They’re entertaining offers from everywhere. Agents are talking to people every day (who) are saying, ‘Well, what about your guy? Here’s what he’s worth. Here’s what I’d be willing to pay him if he goes in the portal.’ So even though guys aren’t in the portal, they’re in the portal.”

The portal officially opens on April 7, the day after the national championship game.

The Aztecs know full well the lure of big money from bigger programs. Lamont Butler, whose buzzer-beater against FAU lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game in 2023, returned to SDSU the following season but then took a big-money offer from Kentucky. The Aztecs also saw Nick Boyd and Keshad Johnson move to power conference teams for big deals in recent seasons.

Below is a look at three players who could end up entering the portal and looking for a new school in 2026-27:

Guard Miles Byrd

Dutcher said Byrd will have the most interesting decision of all the Aztecs to make.

Byrd withdrew from the NBA Draft process last spring to return to Montezuma Mesa for another shot at the NCAA Tournament after the Aztecs lost in the First Four last year. A fourth-year junior, he was voted the MW Preseason Player of the Year and then won the MW Defensive Player of the Year Award after the Aztecs finished second overall behind Utah State.

Byrd will graduate in May and have one season of eligibility left.

“Financially, does he want to be a pro next year at another college? Is the money that drastically different? And yes, it is. At some of these places, the money's drastically different. … So, I think he'll have an interesting decision financially, whether it's in another college or whether he thinks he has a chance to get into the NBA this year.”

Forward Magoon Gwath

Gwath also withdrew from the NBA Draft as well as the transfer portal last offseason and his return was one reason for the high expectations surrounding the Aztecs. The 7-footer had been named the MW Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, but was slowed by injuries and fell well short of the big season fans expected.

His season debut was delayed until the third game as he continued to rehab from surgery on his right knee in April, and then he missed six starts in the middle of the MW schedule due to a hip flexor injury. However, he came on strong during the conference tourney and remains an intriguing player.

“You're encouraged to think, if he can stay on this path and stay healthy, he's going to have an opportunity to be special,” Dutcher said. “It appears that Magoon is getting into good health, and we'll see where that leads in his future, either here at San Diego State or somewhere else.”

Guard Elzie Harrington

Harrington was a heralded true freshman who moved into the starting lineup six games into the season and stayed there until a leg injury sidelined him for six games during the conference schedule. He then missed the regular-season finale as well as all three MW tournament games

Dutcher hopes Harrington and fellow frosh Tae Simmons return, but knows another school might come along with a better offer.

“I think they would, as I sit here today, both want to come back,” Dutcher said. “Now we’ll see what happens between now and the portal to make that happen.”