San Diego State suddenly has new transfer portal options after NCAA eligibility ruling
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Brian Dutcher and the San Diego State Aztecs were handed a lifeline on Friday after a judge in Colorado granted a preliminary injunction for recently graduated seniors hoping to play a fifth year of college basketball.
The injunction, which will be appealed by the NCAA, means every player from the class of 2022 who wishes to return to college athletics is eligible to do so - with exceptions for those who have signed professional contracts or violated other pre-existing NCAA rules.
The ruling does not impact any of SDSU's recent departures - including Reese Waters and Sean Newman - because they both already spent five or more seasons in college. However, it does give the Aztecs access to hundreds of talented players who could fill key roles for this team as they head into the new-look Pac-12 in 2026-27.
With multiple departures from last year's team, and the news that star guard transfer Nick Anderson will miss the entire season, San Diego State could really use more depth on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Below is a look at five players who are now eligible via this injunction ruling that make sense for San Diego State to go after in the transfer portal:
Elijah Mahi, Small Forward, Santa Clara Broncos
Mahi has not indicated he plans to return to college basketball, but he is such a perfect fit for what San Diego State needs that the staff must do whatever they can to bring the 6'7 wing on board.
Mahi earned All-WCC recognition last year for Santa Clara, averaging 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 30.4 minutes per game. The big wing loves getting downhill, using his frame and physicality effectively on both ends of the floor. He's also a career 37.3% shooter from deep, and would resemble a slightly better-shooting Miles Byrd on The Mesa this upcoming season.
If Mahi - who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Summer League - does decide to return to school, he'll have no shortage of suitors. However, SDSU is in a unique position to offer him immediate playing time in a system that fits his skill set, and if they can pony up the cash, he'd instantly vault this team into national relevance.
Landon Lewis, Small Forward, Brown Bears
Graduate assistants aren't often reliably helpful as recruiters, but that could change here. Kimo Ferrari, who played at SDSU in 2024-25 after playing three seasons at Brown in the Ivy League, is currently a GA for the Aztecs - and could help bring a former teammate back home.
Landon Lewis, a 6'7 small forward, went to Harvard-Westlake High School before playing four years at Brown. He blossomed into one of the best players in the Ivy League last year, averaging 16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while leading the conference with a 55.1% field goal percentage.
He's not much of an outside shooter, but his rugged playstyle would fit San Diego State nicely, and he'd help bolster a forward rotation that could use some oomph heading into 2026-27.
Lewis has not currently made a public intention to return to college basketball, but this is a name that makes a lot of sense for Dutcher and his staff to target.
Elijah Fisher, Wing, Seton Hall Pirates
Fisher is a well-travelled 6'6 wing that could really help the Aztecs offensively, who already made it clear he hopes to return to college basketball after putting his name in a lawsuit in California for a fifth year.
The Ontario native spent one year each at Texas Tech, DePaul, Pacific, and Seton Hall over the past four seasons, and a return to California to play for coach Dutcher makes a lot of sense.
Fisher averaged 15.7 points and 4.8 rebounds with the Tigers in 2024-25, although he struggled to find his rhythm offensively last year with Seton Hall - posting just 6.6 points and 2.9 boards in 20.7 minutes per game.
Still, his experience, ability to get downhill, and solid reputation as a defender make him a nice target to add to SDSU's depleted wing rotation heading into the Pac-12.
TJ Wainwright, Guard, Pacific Tigers
Wainwright is a 6'3 guard from LA who put his name in the transfer portal after his fourth season, so it seems likely he will pursue a fifth year of college hoops in 2026-27.
After two seasons at Robert Morris in the Horizon, Wainwright spent his junior year at Long Beach State, where he averaged 13.4 points and shot 40.7% from three. He then traveled north to Pacific in the WCC, averaging 13.0 points for the Tigers while also posting a stellar 38.8% mark from the perimeter.
Wainwright's outside shooting would make him a welcome addition on the wing for coach Dutcher, and would help replace the scoring lost after Anderson's season-ending injury.
Isaiah Carr, Center, Drake Bulldogs
SDSU is relying heavily on Sacramento State transfer Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry at the center position, with little depth behind him. Isaiah Carr, who is part of the California lawsuit with Fisher, is a 7'0 big man who would give the Aztecs crucially needed depth in the frontcourt.
Carr played at GCU for nine games in 2022-23 before spending two seasons at Denver in the Summit League. He led the league in blocks per game in 2023-24 with 1.8, doing so in just 16.8 minutes per game.
After playing just 12 games with the Pios in 2024-25, Carr played his fourth year with the Drake Bulldogs this past season - averaging 3.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 11.8 minutes per game.
He's not the flashiest possible addition, but Carr is a reliable backup center that should fit Dutcher's system nicely and would provide key insurance for Cherry, who has had injury issues in his career.
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Andy Patton is a diehard fan and alumnus of Gonzaga, graduating in 2013. He’s been the host of the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021, and one of two co-hosts on the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. In addition to covering college basketball, Andy has dabbled in sports writing and podcasting across nearly every major sport dating back to 2017. He was a beat writer covering the Seattle Seahawks from 2017–2021 for USA TODAY, where he also spent one year each covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and had a stint as the lead writer for College Sports Wire. Andy has also written about the NBA, NHL, and MLB for various news outlets through TEGNA, including KREM in Spokane, CBS8 in San Diego, and KING 5 in Seattle. After stints in Spokane and Seattle, Andy is back in Oregon near his hometown with his wife, daughter, and dog.
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