Where San Diego State's transfer portal class ranks in the Pac-12

SDSU added four transfers to a very new look roster heading into the Pac-12 in 2026-27

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets forward Jeremiah Cherry (9) reacts as he injured his right knee while he was driving to the basket and defended by UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) and center Steven Jamerson II (24) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brian Dutcher and the San Diego State Aztecs head into the Pac-12 with a new-look roster, having to replace multiple key players who either ran out of eligibility or hit the transfer portal.

With key veterans like Reese Waters, Miles Byrd, BJ Davis, and Magoon Gwath out the door, not to mention Pharaoh Compton, Miles Heide, and Sean Newman, SDSU has had to peruse the transfer portal and international market heavily to put together a roster capable of competing with Gonzaga, Utah State, and Colorado State in the new conference.

Matthew Winick of Basket Under Review recently took on a massive project ranking the transfer portal classes for every program in college basketball - and if his analysis is accurate, it could be bad news for the Aztecs in 2026-27.

Winick ranked SDSU's four-player portal class No. 240 in the country, which was eighth out of nine Pac-12 schools - only ahead of Fresno State (258).

My 2026 College Basketball Transfer Portal Rankings are here.

Every qualified D-I to D-I portal move is graded with notes, comps, and projected roles, + full team and conference rankings using a new formula.

Enjoy, and please share if you find useful!https://t.co/E6XbRGAyap

— Matthew Winick (@matthewwinick) July 23, 2026

Below is a look at how each player was rated, and what Aztec fans can expect from them this upcoming season:

Center Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry: B+

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets forward Jeremiah Cherry (9) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Winick labeled Cherry as "one of the highest upside portal gets in the country", high praise for the hulking 6'11, 280-pound big man. Cherry has to prove he can stay healthy after playing just six games last year at Sacramento State before suffering a knee injury, but when he was on the floor, he averaged 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.

Prior to that, he posted 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks for a good UNLV team in 2024-25, proving he's more than capable of being a top-tier center in the new Pac-12. He's not your typical Dutcher center, but his immense size and touch around the rim will cause problems for the rest of the conference.

Guard Nick Anderson: B

Nov 17, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Rice Owls guard Nick Anderson (23) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Anderson is a great scorer who shined brightly for Rice in the American this past season. However, he suffered a knee injury in late May and will miss the entire 2026-27 season, a massive blow for the Aztecs, who had brought him in to start at the two.

Guard Chance Gladden: C+

Mar 11, 2026; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston University Terriers guard Chance Gladden (2) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gladden was a great scorer as a freshman last season at Boston, averaging 14.4 points and 4.5 assists, while shooting 34.7% from three and 86.7% from the free-throw line on a tidy 4.3 attempts per game.

He gets a C+ grade from Winick thanks to rough defense, with the 6'3 guard serving as the primary perimeter defender for a Boston team that finished as one of the worst defensive teams in the country.

Still, if SDSU believes they can help him develop into a better defender as a sophomore, his shot creation and passing skills could help him become one of the better transfer PG's in Dutcher's tenure.

Wing Isaiah Sy: C+

March 8, 2026; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon State Beavers forward Isaiah Sy (13) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sy was San Diego State's replacement for Anderson, with the Aztecs securing a commitment from the former Oregon State wing shortly after Anderson went down with his ACL tear.

Sy is a 6'8 forward from France who averaged 10 points in 28 minutes per game last year for the Beavers, doing most of his damage from beyond the arc, where he drilled 35.4% of his 5.5 three-point attempts per game.

Unfortunately, Sy doesn't provide a ton else, meaning he'll rely a lot on Gladden and the rest of SDSU's backcourt to get him open looks on the perimeter. Still, a big wing who can really knock em down is not a bad thing to have for the Aztecs.