2024-25 College Basketball Conference Preview: Mountain West Fantasy Outlook

The Mountain West has done its best to push for power-conference status in Men's basketball, producing at least four NCAA Tournament teams in three straight seasons, including a National Championship Runner-Up team in 2022-23 San Diego State. The conference's hope of ascending the conference hierarchy was dashed when Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State announced they'd be joining the Pac-12 in 2026. Still, there are two full seasons left of the Mountain West as we know it, and 2024-25 is shaping up to be another multi-bid year for the MWC. 

One of the more competitive conferences in the country, the Mountain West has had a different regular season champion in three consecutive seasons. In 2023-24, six-seed New Mexico made a miraculous run through the conference tournament to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

It's expected to be equally competitive in 2024-25, but the conference has lost some of its most recognizable players. Jaedon LeDee, Isaiah Stevens, Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear all graduated, while Great Osobor and Rytis Petraitis transferred out of the conference. However, a plethora of transfers and some high-level underclassmen will keep the Mountain West relevant in real life and fantasy.

Top Players

Overall:  Tyson Degenhart, SF,  Boise State

Degenhart will go down as one of Boise State's best players of all time and for good reason. The senior became the sixth Bronco to make back-to-back all-conference first teams and has already scored the 13th most points in program history. The 6-foot-8 forward contributes on both ends, averaging 16.7 points and 1.1 steals per game last season, and chips in on the glass (6.2 rebounds per game). Great Osobor, who transferred to Washington this offseason, edged Degenhart out for MWC Preseason Player of the Year a season ago, but Degenhart will enter the 2024-25 campaign as the frontrunner for the award.

Others for Consideration: Donovan Dent, PG, New Mexico; Dedan Thomas, PG, UNLV; Nick Davidson, F/C, Nevada

Scoring: Tyson Degenhart, SF,  Boise State

Degenhart ranked fifth in the Mountain West last season in points per game but all four players ahead of him either transferred out or graduated. Additionally, there are legitimate reasons to think Degenhart will be better set up to score in 2024-25. Chibuzo Agbo (13.7 ppg) transferred to USC, and score-first guard Max Rice was replaced by San Jose State Transfer Alvaro Cardenas. Cardenas averaged over five assists per game last season and could set Degenhart up for better offensive looks.

Others for Consideration: Donovan Dent, PG, New Mexico; Dedan Thomas, PG, UNLV, Ian Martinez, SG, Nevada;

Assists: Donovan Dent, PG, New Mexico

Dent averaged the fifth most assists in the conference last season and will have the ball in his hands even more in 2024-25, with fewer mouths to feed in the backcourt. He's fresh off an All-Conference Second Team appearance and was one of three underclassmen to earn all-conference honors. Though Dent needs to improve upon his 5.4 to 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, he'll have more than enough chances to become the Mountain West's top point guard.

Others For Consideration: Dedan Thomas, PG, UNLV; Alvaro Cardenas, PG, Boise State; Nique Clifford, G/F, Colorado State

Rebounds: Nelly Junior Joseph, C, New Mexico

Junior Joseph joined the Lobos ahead of the 2023-24 campaign as a transfer and assumed a starting role immediately. He delivered 8.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 combined steals-plus-blocks across 26.3 minutes per game. With the departures of Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn and JT Toppin, Junior Joseph should be called upon more often, and he could average 30-plus minutes per game. In that scenario, he becomes a nightly double-double threat.

Others For Consideration: O'Mar Stanley, C, Boise State; Jared Coleman-Jones, C, San Diego State; Nick Davidson, F/C, Nevada

Center: O'Mar Stanley, C, Boise State

Stanley broke out in his first season with the Broncos, coming over from St. Johns to start in 27 of his 33 appearances. The senior grew into a featured role with Boise State and averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game across 26.3 minutes per game. In a similar vein to Nelly Joseph Junior, if Stanley can see 30-plus minutes per contest, he could have a monster year.

Others For Consideration: Nelly Junior Joseph, C, New Mexico; Nick Davidson, F/C, Nevada; Jared Coleman-Jones, C, San Diego State

Freshman: Pharaoh Compton, PF, San Diego State

Compton caught headlines to start October, tallying 15 points and eight boards -- both game highs -- in a scrimmage, per Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune. While several of the Aztecs' key pieces didn't participate, it's an extremely encouraging sign for Compton, who's competing for a spot in the starting five. A four-star freshman, Compton's 6-foot-8, 245-pound frame and athletic ability could afford him plenty of opportunities early on.

Others For Consideration: Joshua Bonga, PG, Fresno State; Makhan Diouf, C, Fresno State; Moses Hipps, G, Boise State

Sleepers

Donavan Yap, PG, San Jose State

Yap spent the last three seasons with Fresno State, and his stint in Fresno culminated in a 9.0-point, 1.8-rebound, 1.8-assist stat line across 22 minutes per game. Entering his fifth collegiate season, Yap is in line for a starting role. San Jose State isn't expected to compete for a Mountain West title, but there will be plenty of opportunities for Yap to break out.

Jalen Weaver, SF, Fresno State

Weaver was also part of the Bulldogs' second unit in 2023-24, though he's slated to enter the first unit for the upcoming campaign. Like San Jose State, Fresno State is projected to finish toward the bottom of the conference, and its lack of established talent creates an opening for Weaver to become the No. 1 option. The senior averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds across 21.3 minutes per game last season. However, he finished on a heater, averaging 12.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across Fresno State's last four games.

Tyler Rolison, PG, Nevada

One of the MWC's best freshmen a year ago, Rolison is expected to step into a featured role for the Wolf Pack. He and Fresno State transfer Xavier DuSell will be tasked with replacing the backcourt duo of Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear, which combined to average 32.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game last season. It may be ambitious to assume Rolison will replicate the production of his predecessors, but if all goes right, Rolison could be an all-league player.

Others For Consideration: Reese Waters, SF, San Diego State; Aubin Gateretse, F/C, Utah State; Tru Washington, SG, New Mexico; Dontaie Allen, SF, Wyoming

Transfers

Alvaro Cardenas, PG, Boise State

Boise State is an ideal landing spot for Cardenas. Boise State needed a Max Rice replacement and a true point guard who could facilitate an offense that features two all-league players in Tyson Degenhart and O'Mar Stanley. Cardenas is exactly that. The senior was possibly the lone bright spot from San Jose State's 9-23 season in 2023-24, dishing out 5.5 assists per contest with a strong 2.7 Assist-to-turnover ratio. Considering his supporting cast in Boise, Cardenas isn't likely to attempt 10.9 shots per game like he did a year ago. However, he's a strong candidate to lead the conference in assists. 

Nick Boyd, SG, San Diego State

Boyd is arguably the most well-known transfer to enter the Mountain West, coming over from Florida Atlantic after a historical run with the Owls. He started in 37 of 38 games during 2022-23, when FAU lost to SDSU in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He retreated to a sixth-man role in 2023-24, but the senior is slated to operate as the Aztecs' starting two-guard. Boyd logged 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 23.9 minutes per game last season and is certainly capable of being SDSU's leading scorer.

Jared Coleman-Jones, C, San Diego State

Coleman-Jones joins Boyd as the key transfer acquisitions for the Aztecs, and he's slated to start at the five. The Middle Tennessee State transfer logged 111.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks across 28.1 minutes per game in 2023-24, and his versatility should make him a focal point on both ends. Coleman-Jones showcased a three-point shot last year at MTSU, knocking down 44.2 percent of his 1.3 attempts per game from long range. In addition, he's a quality rim protector and a capable passer. 

Jaden Henley, SF, UNLV

UNLV was forced to revamp its roster after losing several key contributors to graduation and the portal. Henley, a DePaul transfer, is a frontrunner to start and could be a quality running mate for reigning Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year Dedan Thomas. UNLV is Henley's third stop in as many seasons, averaging 20.8 minutes per game with Minnesota as a freshman before spending the 2023-24 campaign with the Blue Demons. At DePaul, Henly averaged 8.6 points on 44/27/76 shooting splits, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 24.3 minutes per game. If he can return to his 37.8 three-point percentage from 2022-23, Henley could push for 12 or more points per game.

Others For Consideration: CJ Noland, G/F, New Mexico; Bowen Born, PG, Colorado State; Donovan Yap; PG, San Jose State; Aubin Gateretse, F/C, Utah State; Jordan Nesbitt, PG, Wyoming

Top 10 Players*

1.) Tyson Degenhart, F, Boise State

2.) Donovan Dent, G, New Mexico

3.) Dedan Thomas, G, UNLV

4.) Nick Davidson, F, Nevada

5.) Nique Clifford, G/F, Colorado State

6.) O'Mar Stanley, F, Boise State

7.) Ian Martinez, G, Utah State

8.) Nelly Junior Joseph, F, New Mexico

9.) Alvaro Cardenas, G, Boise State

10.) Beau Becker, F, Air Force

*Note: These rankings are at the discretion of the article author, and may not necessarily correspond with RotoWire's official 2024-25 player rankings.

Projected Team Standings

1.) Boise State

2.) Utah State

3.) New Mexico

4.) Nevada

5.) UNLV

6.) San Diego State

7.) Colorado State

8.) San Jose State

9.) Air Force

10.) Fresno State

11.) Wyoming

Boise State's big three of Tyson Degenhart, O'Mar Stanley and Alvaro Cardenas make them the frontrunner to take the Mountain West crown, but it won't be easy for the Broncos. They'll have to fend off reigning regular-season champion Utah State, who reloaded after losing head coach Danny Sprinkle and 2023-24 MWC Player of the Year Great Osobor to Washington, along with veteran groups with proven track records in Nevada and New Mexico. A scrappy UNLV team that finished fourth in conference play a season ago, led by reigning co-freshman of the year Dedan Thomas, could also make some noise atop the league. 

But this isn't a top-heavy league. Brian Dutcher has turned the Aztecs into an elite program, yielding a National Championship appearance and a Sweet 16 berth in back-to-back years. SDSU may have been hit hard by the transfer portal, but you can never count the Aztecs out. Colorado State falls into a similar category, logging 20 wins in four of the last five seasons. However, it remains to be seen how Niko Medved and the Rams perform in a post-Isaiah Stevens world.

Even the Mountain West basement shapes up to be competitive. Fresno State and Wyoming each made coaching changes over the offseason, and have a mix of intriguing talent. Vance Walberg will be at the helm for Fresno State, and he has coached at every level between high school and the NBA during his career. He brings with him a quality freshman class and a track record of success. Wyoming handed the keys to the program to Sundance Wicks, who departed after leading Green Bay to 18-14 -- a feat that warranted Coach of the Year honors in the Horizon League -- in his first season as a Division 1 head coach. Joining him at Wyoming is a flurry of transfers, but Wicks still has his work cut out for him. Although Air Force and San Jose State tied for last place in the conference in 2023-24, they look to be more competitive in 2024-25. The Falcons' core grew another year older and San Jose State added seven transfers to complement their returning pieces. 

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