San Diego State Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Aztecs

Season Outlook

San Diego State lost Malachi Flynn, Yanni Wetzell, and other talent from that 2020 team and still put together a fantastic season, continuing their dynamic defensive prowess. Nowadays, they’re replacing the output and talent of Mitchell and Schakel, but that same optimism remains for the Aztecs. The system has worked with all of these players, both legendary and unheralded, and Dutcher has a knack for not only putting the Aztecs in the best position but finding the right guys to run his system.

The Mountain West is actually a pretty new conference all things considered, and it’s hard to argue against the fact that San Diego State has been the MWC’s best program. They’ve won the most MWC Tournaments and have actually played in the title game of 11 of the last 13 conference tournaments. The Aztecs have had some incredible players over the years, and that trend looks to continue into the future, even if they have some big names to replace.

The program didn’t fall apart when Kawhi Leonard went off to the NBA. The Aztecs didn’t get any weaker with any of their previous senior classes nor transfers leaving the school. Flynn’s departure didn’t ruin the Aztecs, nor will the exodus of Mitchell, Schakel, and the others. San Diego State looks to again be one of the best programs in the MWC; we’ll just have to see how exactly this season plays out with this rotation.

We’ve looked closely at the roster and schedule for the Aztecs and there’s a lot to like about this program moving forward. There are even some intriguing names we didn’t mention; players that could figure into the rotation in the coming years. Dutcher has a knack for luring recruits who really shine in his system and it’s fair to say he’s done it again this season. There’s no guarantee that the Aztecs will win that third straight MWC crown, but you can bet they will be one of the heavy favorites to not only repeat that feat but be back in the NCAA Tournament again.