Summer time means a look ahead to next season!
Each week moving forward, we will preview one conference in college basketball from soup to nuts.
Check below for this week’s breakdown on the Mountain West.
Mountain West Preseason Power Rankings
1. San Diego State
Projected Starting 5:
G Lamont Butler
G Darrion Trammell
G Reese Dixon-Waters
G Micah Parrish
C Jaedon LeDee
Projected Bench: Cade Alger, Demarshay Johnson, Miles Heide, BJ Davis, Miles Byrd, Elijah Saunders, Jay Pal
Key Newcomers: Miles Heide, BJ Davis, Reese Dixon-Waters (USC), Jay Pal (Campbell)
Key Losses: Aguek Arop, Nathan Mensah, Matt Bradley, Keshad Johnson
2. New Mexico
Projected Starting 5:
G Jaelen House
G Jamal Mashburn Jr.
G Donovan Dent
F Mustapha Amzil
C Nelly Junior Joseph
Projected Bench: Braden Applehans, Tru Washington, Sebastian Forsling, Jadyn Toppin, Jemarl Baker, Isaac Mushila
Key Newcomers: Jadyn Toppin, Tru Washington, Nelly Junior Joseph (Iona), Jemarl Baker (Fresno State), Mustapha Amzil (Dayton), Isaac Mushila (Texas A&M Corpus Christi)
Key Losses: Morris Udeze, KJ Jenkins, Josiah Allick, Javonte Johnson
3. Boise State
Projected Starting 5:
G Roddie Anderson III
G Max Rice
G Chibuzo Agbo
F Tyson Degenhart
C Cameron Martin
Projected Bench: Kade Rice, Kobe Young, Mohmaed Sylla, O’Mar Stanley, Chris Lockett, Andrew Meadow, Emmanuel Ugbo, Jace Whiting
Key Newcomers: Chris Lockett, Andrew Meadow, Emmanuel Ugbo, Roddie Anderson III (UC San Diego), O’Mar Stanley (St. John’s), Cameron Martin (Kansas)
Key Losses: Marcus Shaver, Naje Smith, Lukas Milner
4. Nevada
Projected Starting 5:
G Hunter McIntosh
G Jarod Lucas
G Kenan Blackshear
F Nick Davidson
C KJ Hymes
Projected Bench: Tylan Pope, Tyler Rolison, Amire Robinson, Tyler Powell, Snookey Wiginton, Jeriah Coleman, Daniel Foster
Key Newcomers: Tylan Pope (Tulane), Tyler Rolison, Amire Robinson
Key Losses: Darrion Williams, Will Baker
5. UNLV
Projected Starting 5:
G Dedan Thomas
G Justin Webster
G Luis Rodriguez
F Jalen Hill
C Kalib Boone
Projected Bench: Brooklyn Hicks, Jackie Johnson, Isaiah Cottrell, Shane Nowell, Karl Jones, Robert Whaley, Keylan Boone (needs NCAA waiver)
Key Newcomers: Kalib Boone (Oklahoma State), Keylan Boone (Oklahoma State), Jalen Hill (Oklahoma), Dedan Thomas, Brooklyn Hicks, Robert Whaley (JUCO)
Key Losses: Keshon Gilbert, EJ Harkless
6. Colorado State
Projected Starting 5:
G Isaiah Stevens
G Jalen Lake
G Josiah Strong
F Joel Scott
F Patrick Cartier
Projected Bench: Kyan Evans, Joel Scott, Javonte Johnson, Taviontae Jackson, Jack Payne, Luke Murphy, Cam Lowe, Rashaan Mbemba, Nique Clifford
Key Newcomers: Nique Clifford (Colorado), Javonte Johnson (New Mexico), Kyan Evans, Cam Lowe, Rashaan Mbemba
Key Losses: John Tonje, Isaiah Rivera
7. San Jose State
Projected Starting 5:
G Alvaro Cardenas
F Trey Anderson
F Robert Vaihola
F Tibet Gorener
C Adrame Diongue
Projected Bench: Myron Amey, Garrett Anderson, Ricky Mitchell Jr., Diogo Seixas, William Humer, Pasha Goodarzi
Key Newcomers: Adrame Diongue (Washington State), Ricky Mitchell Jr,, Lewis Duarte, Diogo Seixas, William Humer (JUCO), Pasha Goodarzi
Key Losses: Omari Moore, Sage Tolbert, Ibrahima Diallo
8. Fresno State
Projected Starting 5:
G Isaiah Hill
G Xavier DuSell
G Leo Colimerio
F Eduardo Andre
C Enoch Boakye
Projected Bench: Donavan Yap, Jalen Weaver, Mykell Robinson, Pierre Geneste, Chuks Isitua, Jeff Sims, Isaiah Pope, Steven Vasquez
Key Newcomers: Enoch Boakye (Arizona State), Xavier DuSell (Wyoming), Jalen Weaver (JUCO), Mykell Robinson (JUCO), Isaiah Pope (Utah Tech), Pierre Geneste (Louisiana Tech)
Key Losses: Anthony Holland, Jemarl Baker
9. Wyoming
Projected Starting 5:
G Sam Griffin
G Akuel Kot
G Brendan Wenzel
F Mason Walters
C Caden Powell
Projected Bench: Nigle Cook, Kael Combs, Cam Manyawu, Kobe Newton, Akuel Kot, Oleg Kojenets, Kenny Foster, Jacob Theodosiou
Key Newcomers: Nigle Cook, Oleg Kojenets (Nebraska), Sam Griffin (Tulsa), Kael Combs, Cam Manyawu, Kobe Newton (JUCO), Mason Walters (NAIA)
Key Losses: Graham Ike, Hunter Maldonado, Jeremiah Oden, Xavier DuSell
10. Utah State
Projected Starting 5:
G Mason Felslev
G Darius Brown
G Josh Uduje
F Nigel Burris
C Isaac Johnson
Projected Bench: Ian Martinez (needs NCAA waiver), Max Agbonkpolo (needs NCAA waiver), Grant Osobor, Dallin Grant, Kalifa Sakho, Javon Jackson, Garrison Phelps, Karson Templin
Key Newcomers: Ian Martinez (Maryland), Great Osobor (Montana State), Josh Uduje (Coastal Carolina), Nigel Burris (Idaho), Dallin Grant, Kalifa Sakho, Max Agbonkpolo (Wyoming), Darius Brown (Montana State), Javon Jackson (D2), Garrison Phelps, Karson Templin
Key Losses: Steven Ashworth, Taylor Funk, Max Shulga, Sean Bairstow, Trevin Dorius, Dan Akin, Rylan Jones
11. Air Force
Projected Starting 5:
G Ethan Taylor
G Jeffrey Mills
F Rytas Petraitis
F Corbin Green
C Beau Becker
Projected Bench: Byron Brown, Chase Beasley, Kellan Boylan, Lucas Moerman, Brady Ruggles, Kolby Gilles
Key Newcomers: Kolby Giles, Brady Ruggles, Josh Gatete, Caleb Walker, Wesley Celichowski, Luke Kearney, Wyatt Boeker, Sam Akinrelere
Key Losses: Jake Heidbreder, Carter Murphy, Camden Vander Zwaag
Mountain West Preseason First-Team
Lamont Butler, San Diego State
Jarod Lucas, Nevada
Jamal Mashburn Jr., New Mexico
Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State
Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year
Jamal Mashburn Jr., New Mexico
5 Mountain West Breakout Players
*In no particular order
*A player is not eligible to be a breakout player if he’s previously averaged in double figures
Micah Parrish, San Diego State
Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State
Donovan Dent, New Mexico
Hunter McIntosh, Nevada
Nick Davidson, Nevada
10 Mountain West Impact Transfers
*In no particular order
*Two-time transfers who have yet to be cleared by the NCAA are not eligible for this list
Reese Dixon-Waters, San Diego State (USC)
Jay Pal, San Diego State (Campbell)
Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico (Iona)
Mustapha Amzil, New Mexico (Dayton)
Jemarl Baker, New Mexico (Fresno State)
Cameron Martin, Boise State (Kansas)
Jalen Hill, UNLV (Oklahoma)
Kalib Boone, UNLV (Oklahoma State)
Adrame Diongue, San Jose State (Washington State)
Sam Griffin, Wyoming (Tulsa)
Leftovers
- Kansas State, Mississippi State, Nebraska to headline 2025 Hall-of-Fame Classic in Kansas City, fourth team is TBD
- Episode 470 — Houston’s Kelvin Sampson
- Arizona/Duke, Kansas/Indiana to headline doubleheader at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in November 2027
- Georgia Tech, LSU, DePaul to headline 2025 Emerald Coast Classic
- Episode 469 — Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger
