Las Vegas – San Diego State senior guard Reese Waters named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team and freshman forward Pharaoh Compton was honored as the league’s Preseason Freshman of the Year, the conferenced announced Thursday morning ahead of the start of its Media Day at Resorts World in Las Vegas. The team was predicted to finish in fourth place. All preseason awards and the order of finish were voted on by 30 media members who regularly cover the league.
Waters, who was the Preseason Newcomer of the Year at last year’s Mountain West Media Day, returns to The Mesa for his senior campaign as the team’s leading scorer (9.6 points per game), rebounder (3.7 boards) and, among last season’s Aztecs who attempted at least 100 3-point field goals, the top shooter from long range (34.3 percent).
The Long Beach, Calif., native, who transferred the San Diego State from Southern California last season, attempted more free throws (43) without a miss to start the season than any player in the country, and his 90.3 percent shooting from the line led the team, among those that attempted at least 26 free throws.
Appearing in all 37 games last year, starting 23 times, he averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his starts. He shot 44.0 percent (91-of-207) from the floor, 43.0 percent (40-of-93) from the bonus distance, and 93.0 percent (53-of-57) from the line in his starting assignments.
In the SoCal Showcase, against California at The Pavilion in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., he went 6-of-11 from the field (54.5 percent), 2-of-3 from distance (.667) and was 10-of-10 from the line, with seven rebounds and two steals. His efforts earned him the event’s Most Valuable Player Award and his 24 points and seven boards were both career-highs at the time.
In the team’s 84-74 victory at No. 13 Gonzaga, snapping the ‘Zags 59-game win streak against non-conference opponents, he was 8-of-11 from the floor (72.7 percent), 3-of-5 from beyond the arc (60.0 percent) and made 3-of-4 free throw attempts. He added two assists and two steals without a turnover. It was just Gonzaga’s second home loss in its last 90 games at that point and snapped the ‘Zags 173-game home streak without a double-digit loss. Waters was at his best in the second half, scoring 15 of his 22 points and is just the second Aztec under Brian Dutcher to record at least 20 points, 2 assists, 2 steals and 0 turnovers in a game (also Malichi Flynn at UNLV on Jan. 26, 2020).
Compton, originally from Chicago, graduated from Arbor View High School in Las Vegas. Last year, the 6-8, 245-pound forward was the top-rated recruit in the state of Nevada and the team’s first top 100 signee since 2005. He averaged 19.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.6 blocks and led his team to the semifinal of the state’s 5A Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association tournament. For his efforts he was honored with inclusion on Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada boys’ basketball team.
In the predicted order of finish, the Scarlet and Black garnered two of the media’s 30 first-place votes totaling 213 points to finish in fourth place. Boise State was predicted to win the regular season and garnered 276 points and 19 first-place votes. New Mexico was selected second with 233 points and one first-place vote, Nevada slots in in third place with one first-place vote and 219 points. UNLV earned 178 points and a pair of first-place votes to finish one spot ahead of sixth-place Utah State (169 points and a first-place vote).
Colorado State (7th place; 160 points), San Jose State (8th place; 88 points) and Wyoming (9th place; 67 points) were the next three teams to fall in line behind the Aggies. Fresno State (10th place; 62 points) and Air Force (11th place; 51 points) round out the poll.
SDSU has been predicted to finish either first or second in the Mountain West preseason poll in each of the 10 previous years. This year is only the 11th time in the 26 seasons the Mountain West has been in existence that San Diego State has not been picked first or second in the preseason poll.
SDSU boasts the third-best winning percentage in the country since the start of the 2019-20 season, is one of five schools, nationally, to win at least 19 games each of the last 19 seasons, and since 2006 trails only Gonzaga among most conference championship game appearances in Division I. The Aztecs have 15 to the 'Zags 19 appearances. In addition, San Diego State has won a conference-record 16 Mountain West championships (regular-season and tournament) and its 73.9 percent winning percentage since the start of the 2005-06 campaign is the sixth best in the country.
In 2024-25, San Diego State welcomes back one starter, Waters, from the 2023-24 squad that went 26-11, played for the Mountain West Tournament title for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and the fourth time in the last 14 years. In all, the Aztecs return three letterwinners, Byrd, Waters and Miles Heide, and have brought seven newcomers into the fold, featuring Nick Boyd, who transferred from FAU and played in the Final Four against SDSU in 2023, Jared Coleman-Jones, a 6-10 forward, who can score from all three levels, led Middle Tennessee State in assists last season, and was one of seven players his height in the nation to lead his team in assists, and Wayne McKinney III, a San Diego native and 6-0 guard with a 40-plus inch vertical, who is 140 points from 1,000 for his career. In addition, redshirt freshman Magoon Gwath, a 7-0 forward who can score from all levels, true freshman Taj DeGourville, a 6-5 guard with a 7-0 wing span, and Compton are freshman who are expected to make an immediate impact.
The Aztecs play an exhibition on Wednesday, October 30, against Cal State San Marcos in Viejas Arena and then host its regular-season opener a week later, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, against UC San Diego.
2024-25 Preseason All-Mountain West Team
Alvaro Cardenas, Sr., G, Boise State
Tyson Degenhart, Sr., F, Boise State
O’Mar Stanley, Sr., F, Boise State
Nique Clifford, Sr., G, Colorado State
Nick Davidson, Jr., F, Nevada
Donovan Dent, Jr., G, New Mexico
Nelly Junior Joseph, Sr., C, New Mexico
Reese Waters, Sr., G, San Diego State
Dedan Thomas Jr., So., G, UNLV
Ian Martinez, Gr., G, Utah State
Preseason Player of the Year
Tyson Degenhart, Sr., F, Boise State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Kobe Sanders, G, Sr. Nevada
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Pharaoh Compton, F, San Diego State
2024-25 Mountain West Predicted Order of Finish
Team (first-place votes) - Points
- Boise State (19) - 276
- New Mexico (1) - 233
- Nevada (1) - 219
- San Diego State (2) - 213
- UNLV (2) - 178
- Utah State (1) - 169
- Colorado State - 160
- San Jose State - 88
- Wyoming - 67
- Fresno State - 62
- Air Force - 51