Former San Diego State star returns to Cal as a grad assistant
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Two seasons after leading San Diego State to its first Final Four, Matt Bradley has returned to his original college team, the California Golden Bears, as a graduate assistant on Mark Madsen’s staff.
While embarking on a new chapter in his basketball journey, Bradley will always be fondly remembered down the coast in San Diego, both for his leadership on the court and his emotional farewell following the Aztecs’ loss in the 2023 national championship game.
Bradley spent his first three seasons with the Golden Bears and was twice named a second-team All-Pac-12 selection. But the Golden Bears had losing records in all three of his seasons in Berkeley and there was the additional difficulty brought on by the pandemic.
He sought a fresh start and found it at SDSU under Brian Dutcher, who, as an assistant, helped Steve Fisher build the program into a perennial NCAA Tournament participant before taking over the top job in 2017.
Bradley spent two seasons leading SDSU in scoring and, more importantly, finding the success that was lacking at Cal.
He averaged 16.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 2021-22 and helped the Aztecs go 23-9. He played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, in a 72-69 overall loss to Creighton in the opening round.
The following season, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard averaged 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in leading the Aztecs to the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles.
The Aztecs upset No. 1 seed Alabama to reach the Elite Eight for the first time, and then won a rematch against Creighton to reach the Final Four.
SDSU fell behind Florida Atlantic by 14 points in a national semifinal game, but Bradley led a comeback by scoring 10 of his team-high 21 points in the final 13 minutes, including seven key free throws.
That put the Aztecs in position for Lamont Butler’s thrilling buzzer-beater in the 72-71 win, which stands as one of the greatest moments in San Diego sports history.
Two nights later, the Aztecs lost to UConn by 17 points in the title game.
Bradley cried during a postgame news conference as he explained how he almost quit basketball and how much being a part of SDSU’s program.
“When I entered the portal and came here, you know, during that time with COVID and stuff, I was really ready to just stop playing. I told myself, I was just like, ‘You know what, man? It’s been tough. Let’s just go home and get a job and call it a day, you’ll be all right,’ “ Bradley said.
“But coach Dutch, he’s one of the most genuine guys I’ve ever met, the way he took me in and the brotherhood and these guys, and actually having real leadership that I can follow, changed the trajectory of my life for sure. It’s more than just basketball — I’m sorry I’m up crying up here and stuff — I’m just really just thankful for coach Dutch and everybody that played a part in my move here to San Diego State.”
In early November, days before he was to begin playing in the NBA’s G League, Bradley announced his retirement from basketball. He had played one season with the Rostock Seawolves in Germany’s top division.
In his announcement, he touched again on how much COVID-19 took from him, leaving him “depressed and devastated,” and how his love for the game changed.
But he said he made his decision to retire “with a smile and a sense of peace I haven’t felt in years.”
He added: “I’m 25 and I’m ready for the next stage of my life, where I take all the energy that I put into basketball and pour it into my family, my relationships, my faith and my next career. … Btw, I will be the nastiest men’s league player in the country and I’m OK with that.”
And with that, he is indeed on to the next chapter.
Familiar face back in Berkeley 🤟
— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) June 5, 2025
Former Cal guard & two-time All-Pac-12 selection Matt Bradley has joined our staff as a graduate assistant!#GoBears pic.twitter.com/D2BE0WCXmO
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-bd678ba4dbad4f453246f539ee56a3b4.jpg "Bernie Wilson")
Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.