SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — College basketball season may be more than five months away, but expectations are suddenly sky high for San Diego State following a major announcement from one of the team's star players.
Miles Byrd has decided to return to San Diego State for his junior year after exploring his NBA options, giving the Aztecs a significant boost heading into next season.
Byrd, who helped lead a young Aztecs team back to the NCAA Tournament last season, made the last-minute decision after working out for several NBA teams. He announced his return on Instagram, delighting Aztecs fans.
"I really think it was a 50-50 call the whole way," said Mark Zeigler, who covers the Aztecs for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Zeigler believes Byrd's return will have a major impact on the team's prospects.
"It makes them a lot better," Zeigler said.
Byrd was the Aztecs' second-leading scorer last season, averaging over 12 points per game. He was also a defensive standout, known for his ability to generate steals and block shots.
"Beyond the statistics and the stuff he brings on the floor, is just his leadership. He's a leader on this team and the only player on the roster who's been in the program for four years," Zeigler said.
With Byrd rejoining other key players like Magoon Gwath and Reese Waters, the Aztecs appear poised to improve on last season's sometimes inconsistent performance.
"They struggled in a lot of games, and didn't look very good for a stretch there, and I think we won't see that this year. There are so many weapons and so much depth, I think right out of the gate, they should be really good," Zeigler said.
As for just how good the team might be, Zeigler, who votes in the AP Poll, has a prediction.
"I'm a voter in the AP Poll, and I haven't looked at all the teams yet, so I don't exactly where I'll put them, but I'm guessing, I think I'm going to put them in the 15 to 20 range right of the bat, and I think they deserve every bit of that," Zeigler said.
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