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“AZTECS BASKETBALL-A STATEMENT DAY”
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San Diego State has given us big thrills in years gone by.
The NCAA championship game with U-Conn.
The final four games vs the Huskies.
Sweet 16-appearances.
Mountain West Tourney championships
An appearance in the NIT.
All great in season accomplishments.
But Wednesday might be the greatest day in off season SDSU hoops history.
6’7-G-Miles Byrd put the exclamation point on a historical off season of good news for Aztecs basketball, pulling himself out of the NBA draft, and electing to return for a 4th year under the guidance of Brian Dutcher.
It sets off emotional fireworks around the Aztecs basketball program. It’s like dropping a nuclear bomb on the rest of the Mountain West Conference.
And with the roster construction at SDSU, it is nationwide notice to the country, that San Diego State is the ‘Best in the West’ in hoops, better than Gonzaga, UCLA or anyone else.
Byrd was not ready for the NBA. Yes he did play well at the Chicago Draft Camp in Chicago. He worked out for Boston, the 76ers, Suns and Charlotte. But he elected to pull out of the NBA-Draft because none of those clubs would guarantee him a 2nd round selection, or would not guarantee him some money as a second round choice.
He could have gambled, waited to get chosen somewhere around pick 50, fought his way onto a roster or wound up somewhere in the NBA-G League, on a 2-way contract.
I still think there is growth he must show. No more 1-for-9 shooting nights. No more going scoreless as his team was losing by 40-to-North Carolina, in March Madness. He averaged (12P-4R) a game, hardly impressive, and he really faltered in last year’s end of season big games.
Instead he comes back for a final season, a chance to grow from what he experienced working out for teams, and push himself into the first round and maybe become a Scottie Pippen player.
He comes back just like Magoon Gwath and Reese Waters decided to do. He is joined by 3-transfers. It is too bad Nick Boyd jumped ship to try his hand in the Big 10. But these veterans coming back, what they have added, and the young potential stars that learned on the job last year, means this could be as good a team going in, as any team we have seen.
And gets to learn further under the special guidance of a head coach who may best the best in the nation at Xs-Os, motivation, and teaching skills, in Brian Dutcher.
And yes, this is an Aztecs team that brought us Jamal Franklin, Kawhi Leonard and Nathan Mensah’s past great contributions. Brick by brick, this program has become special.
The right move for Miles Byrd. A bigger move for San Diego State’s coming season. A slam dunk of a decision for so many reasons.
Truly a ‘Statement Day’ about the coach, the kids, the leadership, the qualities that Aztecs basketball represents.
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