The 2024-25 NBA season starts on Tuesday night. The reigning NBA Champions, Boston Celtics, will host the new-look New York Knicks at TD Garden in what should be a great matchup to begin the season. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers will battle later that night at Crypto.com Arena.

The NCAA season tips off in early November and now is a great time to provide and update on where former San Diego State Aztecs are playing professionally.

NBA

Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers

The biggest name to ever put on an Aztecs’ uniform continues to play for the Los Angeles Clippers. The two-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP will suit up for year 13. However, it is unknown when exactly that will be. The former Aztec has dealt with nagging injuries his whole career, and that will sideline him again to begin the 2024-25 season.

The Klaw is regarded as one of the best defensive players of all time. He is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner and three-time All-Defensive Team member. Further, Leonard is one of just three players to win NBA Finals MVP with multiple teams. There is no doubt that Leonard has established himself as a premier basketball player. The SDSU Alum was on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, honoring him as a top 75 player of all time. He is well on his way to the Basketball Hall of Fame when his career is said and done.

San Diego State retired Leonard’s No. 15 jersey in 2020, making him the first player in school history to have his jersey raised to the rafters and third to have his number retired, Michael Cage (44) and Milton “Milky” Phelps (22).

Keshad Johnson – Miami Heat

Johnson made the Heat roster ahead of the 2024-25 season. The former Aztec and Arizona Wildcat went undrafted but signed a two-way contract with Miami on July 1. Predictions that Johnson would end up in the league started early in his college career. Johnson competed with Arizona during his final season, but as a graduate of the university, he is the definition of an Aztec for Life.

Johnson will have to prove himself to earn playing time, but making the final roster is a great sign. The forward position is stacked on that Heat roster with Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Duncan Robinson playing high minutes. Head coach Eric Spoelstra likes to play big and could use Jaquez Jr. and Robinson in more of a guard/wing role to allow Johnson to see more minutes.

The Heat take on the Orlando Magic at home to begin the season on Wednesday night.

Matt Bradley – RGV Vipers – G League

Bradley recently signed with the Houston Rockets ahead of the NBA season. However, Bradley was waived the following day. The reason he signed to the NBA roster was to obtain G League rights and now Bradley will be added to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers roster.

The former two-time All-Mountain West First-Team member went undrafted to the NBA but signed a contract with the Rostock Seawolves of the Basketball Bundesliga last season. He averaged 7.4 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.4 blocks, and 0.4 steals per game.

Bradley was a huge part of the Aztecs’ run to the 2023 NCAA Tournament Title game against UConn. His play in the first half of the national semifinals against FAU set the stage for Lamont Butler’s heroics.

Jalen McDaniels – NBA Free Agent

McDaniels has been part of four organizations, though he has only seen playing time with three. He has yet to really have his breakthrough. His time with the Hornets is where he saw a majority of his playing time but when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, his minutes decreased. McDaniels later signed with the Toronto Raptors to reunite with Malachi Flynn.

McDaniels was waived by the Spurs shortly after being traded from the Sacramento Kings. San Antonio will pay McDaniels a guaranteed $4.7 million salary this year.

Malachi Flynn – NBA Free Agent

Flynn has had an up-and-down NBA career. Being traded three times since last December cannot be easy.

Aztec fans understand how elite he is with the ball in his hands and know he can be a walking bucket. Last season, after being traded from the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons, Flynn reached 50 points in a game off the bench against the Atlanta Hawks. That marked just the third time in NBA history a player off the bench scored a 50-piece (Jamal Crawford & Nick Anderson).

Here’s Malachi Flynn putting up 50-5-3-2 on 72% on April 2024

pic.twitter.com/P2kanKKxUd https://t.co/5YwJhzUejb

— Chrollo Oomficer (@TsukihimeDemake) August 21, 2024

Flynn was recently waived by the San Antonio Spurs on October 19 after signing as a free agent on August 7.

Both Flynn and McDaniels have been on the same NBA roster for the Raptors and Spurs but never had the opportunity to share the court together. Now, they both aim to sign a free agent or G-league contract with an NBA team as the season prepares to begin.

Nathan Mensah – NBA Free Agent

Mensah ended his SDSU career as one of the top defensive players to ever put on an Aztecs uniform. The two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All MWC First-Team Defense member was a major factor in the Aztecs’ run to the Final Four in 2023.

In 25 NBA games last season, Mensah averaged 1.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.6 blocks for the Hornets.

Mensah has also played for the Greensboro Swarm, the G League affiliate to the Hornets. This offseason, he signed with the Spurs but was waived on October 13.

Jordan Schakel – NBA Free Agent

Schakel played his entire career at San Diego State. He was a three-point weapon who ended his career making the third-most three’s in program history with 225. He also finished his career as the all-time leader in free-throw percentage at 87%.

The shooter had stints in the NBA, most recently with the defending NBA champions, Celtics. He also played for the Washington Wizards and the G League.

On July 17, he signed with Leones de Ponce. On September 11, he signed with the Celtics again but was waived. Schakel is aiming to be put back on the Maine Celtics for this upcoming season.

Jaedon LeDee – NBA Free Agent

LeDee had one of the greatest single seasons in SDSU history in 2023-24, winning the Karl Malone Award for the nation’s top power forward. His dominance al year long helped propel the Aztecs to a Sweet Sixteen run. He averaged 21.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals last season. Despite being the top PF in the country, LeDee was not drafted to the NBA. He signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On Oct. 2, The Twolves waived LeDee. He will now aim to try and make a G League roster ahead of the season.

Overseas

Zylan Cheatham

After three seasons at San Diego State, Cheatham spent his final year at Arizona State University. Much like many former Aztecs, he went undrafted in the NBA Draft. He then signed a contract with the New Orleans Pelicans and played in four games. After a few camp stints, he finally played in another game with the Utah Jazz; however, that was it.

He averaged 13.8 points per game for his career in the G-League, playing for five different squads.

Now, Cheatham plays for Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the Japanese Basketball League. According to RealGM, he averages 10.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game in four games this season.

Trey Kell

The San Diego native played all four seasons with the Aztecs and certainly left his mark. He was a first and third All-Mountain West Team member and the 2018 Mountain West Tournament MVP.

After going undrafted, Kell signed with the Phoenix Suns and played in three NBA Summer League games. Kell averaged 4.0 points in 13.9 minutes.

Now, Kell plays for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia, averaging 16.8 points per game in eight games. He is a three-time Overseas Champion (Italy, Poland, & Canada) and has established himself in the professional basketball community, playing for ten different teams.

Matt Mitchell

Mitchell was the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2021, averaging 15.4 points per game. Mitchell had a tremendous career as an Aztec.

He signed a contract with the San Antonio Spurs and played in two Summer League games for them that same summer after going undrafted. The following year, he played in four summer league games for the Denver Nuggets.

Now, Mitchell plays for Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania in the EuroLeague. He averages 4.6 points per game in nine contests this season.

Terrell Gomez

Gomez played his final collegiate season with SDSU after transferring from Cal State Northridge. He averaged 8.6 points with the Aztecs and could have played one more season with them with the Covid-19 rule, but declined to go play professionally overseas.

Gomez did not have any stints with the NBA but has made a successful career overseas. Gomez plays for Chorale Roanne Basket in the French Pro B league, averaging 10.38 points per game.

Malik Pope

Who can forget the flat top?

Malik Pope was a fan favorite during his four-year career at SDSU. The 6-foot-10 forward went undrafted and signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played in six Summer League games and scored a total of seven points.

Pope returned to the G-League after an overseas stint with the Rostock Seawolves. Now, Pope plays for BK Lions Jindrichuv Hradec in Czech Republic. He averaged 10.5 points in the season’s first two games.

J.J. O’Brien

O’Brien left Utah for SDSU and finished his career with the Aztecs in 2015. In his senior season, he made the First Team All-MWC and the MWC All-Defensive First Team. Those awards were not good enough to get him drafted, but he later signed a contract with the Utah Jazz and made his NBA debut against the Lakers. In that same year, he was added to the 2016 D-League All-Rookie Team.

O’Brien has now had a lengthy professional career overseas. He is on his sixth team and currently averages 11.0 points per game for Tofas SC in Turkey.

Trey Pulliam

Pulliam had a great career as an Aztec. He scored 14 points in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 loss to Creighton in 2022 and scored in double figures 14 times his senior year.

Pulliam graduated from San Diego State in 2022 and now plays for APOEL Nicosia in the Cypriot Division A. He’s averaged 13 points and 3.5 assists in two games this season.

Skylar Spencer

Spencer was a starter for the most part during his SDSU career from 2012-16. He started from his sophomore season to his senior year and averaged 3.8 points per game. His defense is what kept him on the floor, and he averaged 2.1 blocks per game for his career.

Spencer played in one Summer League game for the Denver Nuggets and went 1-2, scoring one basket in eight minutes.

Now, the former Aztec averages 2.4 blocks per game as he plays for Zeus Energy Group Rieti in Italy. He has a terrific blog where he updates his times overseas. You can access it here.

Deshawn Stephens

Stephens ended his SDSU career back in 2013. Since then, he has played professionally in Japan, Turkey, France, Italy, Israel, and Romania.

Stephens won the Bosnian League Championship and Bosnian Cup in 2022 and, before that, the Israeli League Cup in 2018.

Now, he averages 11.7 points and 7.8 rebounds for U-Banca Transilvania Cluj in Romania.

Yanni Wetzell

Wetzell had a very successful collegiate career out of New Zealand. He started at St. Mary’s University in Texas, then transferred to Vanderbilt before SDSU. Wetzell replaced McDaniels at SDSU and became a Second Team All-MWC member in 2020.

Since then, he returned to New Zealand to play professionally and now plays for ALBA Berlin in Germany. He averages 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Richie Williams

Williams is the final former SDSU player who currently plays professionally. The San Diego native graduated from San Diego State in 2009 and has played professionally, both in the USA and overseas since. In three games this season, Williams averages 21 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game for the Chin Min Dragons in Austria.

Chris Spiering

Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.