SAN DIEGO - San Diego State’s Miles Byrd will return to the Aztecs basketball program for his junior season, the 6-7 wing announced on Wednesday. Byrd declared for the 2025 NBA Draft on April 26 but maintained his college eligibility. His decision to return to The Mesa, announced on his social media channels on Wednesday, comes after testing the NBA Draft waters and gaining feedback from NBA teams.
"We are very happy to have Miles returning to San Diego State for the 2025-26 season," head men's basketball coach Brian Dutcher said. "It was important that he meet with NBA teams and get their evaluations so he can continue his development in order to be able to fulfill his dream of playing at the next level. As we focus on earning another Mountain West championship in the upcoming season, this experience can only be positive for Miles and the Aztecs."
In 2024-25, his first year as a starter, he earned second-team All-NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Pacific District and second team All-Mountain West honors as well as Mountain West All-Defensive Team designation.
He finished the campaign with starts in each of his 30 appearances and averaged 12.3 points per game, second on the team and No. 18 in the Mountain West. He shot 38.1 percent (118-of-310) from the field, including 30.1 percent (53-of-176) from beyond the arc and a team high 83.2 percent (79-of-95) from the line.
The native of Stockton, Calif., averaged 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game and was the only player in the nation who compiled 38.1 percent shooting from the floor, 30.1 percent from long range, 83.2 percent from the line, with 82 assists, 64 steals, and 32 blocks.
On November 6, in last season’s opener against UC San Diego, his first career start, he became just the second player in NCAA Division I basketball over the past 10 seasons, since 2014-15, to record at least 20 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four blocks in the same game and is also the first Aztec since at least 1996-97 with that stat line. Against Colorado State, on January 14, Byrd became the first player in Mountain West history and one of three players in the nation in the last 16 seasons to have a game of at least 25 points, including five 3-pointers, seven steals and six rebounds.
Following three games at the inaugural Players Era Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the product of Stockton’s Lincoln High earned all-tournament team honors and Mountain West Player of the Week designation. Byrd averaged 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and had a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio to lead the Aztecs to a pair of victories against top 25 teams: No. 6 Houston and No. 21 Creighton.
Byrd shot 42.4 percent (14-of-33) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from beyond the arc, and 90.9 percent (10-of-11) at the free throw line. The 6-7 guard scored in double figures in all three games, including a team-high 18 points in the squad’s 73-70 overtime win over the No. 6-ranked Cougars. In the three games, six of his seven defensive boards resulted in one-shot attempts possessions for the opponent. His three offensive rebounds led directly to six Aztec points and SDSU totaled six points on three of his five steals while his three assists accounted for six points for the Scarlet and Black.
His most critical points came in the Aztecs’ most critical moments. With 13 seconds left in regulation, his two free throws against Houston tied the game 65-65 and sent it to overtime. Then his Jordan-esque up and under, back hand layup in overtime pushed SDSU’s lead to 70-67 and the Aztecs did not relinquish it in the overtime win.
Byrd scored in double figures 19 times, including four games of 20 points or more and a career-high 25 against Colorado State and shot at least 40.0 percent in 13 games with the Aztecs posting a 12-1 record in those contests. He knocked down multiple 3-pointers in 16 contests, SDSU was 12-4, sank three or more in eight games, SDSU was 6-2, including a career-best five against Colorado State and shot 40.0 percent or better from distance in 10 games.
In his three seasons on The Mesa, he has appeared in 68 games with 30 starts, has averaged 7.7 points on 38.5 percent shooting from the field, 30.4 percent from distance and 82.9 percent from the line. He has grabbed 220 rebounds, to go along with 93 steals, 119 assists and 52 blocked shots.