San Diego State Basketball: Why Jared Coleman-Jones is the most important team transfer for 2024-25
By Joey Loose
The most recent crop of players at San Diego State undoubtedly have left their mark with this program. Their run to the national championship game in 2023 has not been forgotten, while Brian Dutcher’s squad followed that up this past season with a return trip to the Sweet Sixteen. There’s a long list of power conference teams that don’t have seven NCAA Tournament wins in the last decade, let alone the last two years, further showing just what these Aztecs have accomplished.
But much like after that trip to the title game, things will look far different the following season. Jaedon Ledee transformed from a rotation piece to an All-American but his eligibility has run out. Important players Lamont Butler and Micah Parrish both transferred for the final years of their respective careers. The Aztecs are leaning heavily on some of those returning faces like Reese Waters and Miles Byrd, but there will be a lot of new in this lineup.
San Diego State added a few freshmen and expect improvement out of other returning pieces, but Dutcher and his staff utilized the Transfer Portal well yet again. They landed a flurry of guards, including point guard Kimo Ferrari from Brown and San Diego’s Wayne McKinney. One of the most notable additions was Nick Boyd, a big piece of the Florida Atlantic team that these Aztecs knocked out in the Final Four just over a year ago.
The most impactful addition to this lineup is Jared Coleman-Jones, a power forward who comes to San Diego from Middle Tennessee. He actually began his career as a bench piece at Northwestern before joining the Blue Raiders four years ago. Coleman-Jones played sparingly early on and even missed an entire season, but really came into his own this past season. He averaged 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, taking a dramatic step forward in every aspect of his game, even developing something of an outside shot.
When this San Diego State lineup takes shape this upcoming season, it’s not like we’re expecting Coleman-Jones to be the leading factor. It’s very possible that Boyd outscores him, though there’s a reason we’re focusing on Coleman-Jones. The Aztecs found success leaning on productive bigs like Matt Bradley as well as LeDee; can this former All-CUSA forward fill that type of role?
Last season, Coleman-Jones was one of the best rebounders in the CUSA and he’ll certainly relish an opportunity to develop with the Aztecs roster and coaching staff. With what this program has lost this offseason, they really needed a forward like Coleman-Jones coming to town, especially with experience. If he can take that coaching and take a step forward, then he doesn’t need to play as well as a Bradley or LeDee for San Diego State to shine yet again.
dark. Next. Offseason grades for each Big Ten team. Offseason grades for each Big Ten team
Whether or not this becomes another team that goes on a deep postseason run, it’s clear that things are very different for the Aztecs this season. We’re so accustomed to seeing prosperity in recent years but the Aztecs will have their hands full in an MWC that put half a dozen teams into last year’s Tournament. Did San Diego State add enough talent to return to the Big Dance and be successful? What kind of senior season will Coleman-Jones put together in these new surroundings?