(Entering the 2026-27 season)
Dakarai Allen, who competed for the Scarlet and Black from the 2013-14 to 2016-17 seasons and developed into one of the premier defensive players in the Mountain West, was named a graduate assistant for the program on September 24, 2026.
As a senior, the Sacramento, Calif., native, was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the league’s All-Defensive Team. That same season, the media who regularly covered the conference made him an honorable mention All-Mountain West performer.
During his time on The Mesa, the Aztecs competed in the postseason three times. As a freshman in 2013-14, the team reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. The next year, SDSU advanced to the round of 32, before bowing out to eventual champion Duke, and in his junior season, the team made it to New York’s Madison Square Garden and the semifinal of the NIT.
On the program’s career lists, he ranks No. 7 in conference wins (51), No. 10 in victories (99),No. 11 in games played (133), No. 18 in blocks (66) and No. 20 in steals (121) and in 2015-16, his 28 victories are tied for 31st place on the single season wins list. In addition, in 2015-16, he led the team in steals and in 2016-17 paced the squad in field goal percentage.
After graduation, Allen played in the G-League from 2017-18 to 2021-22. It was when he was playing with the Ignite that he developed his desire to pursue a post-basketball career, assisting young players in developing the skills and mindset to be successful at the next level.
Prior to San Diego State, he enjoyed a standout career at Sheldon High School in Sacramento, where, as a senior, he was a McDonald’s All-American nominee and a finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year in California. In addition, he was a two-time Delta River League MVP and Player of the Year. A four-star rated recruit, he won four Sac-Joaquin Section Division I titles.
Allen, whose first name means happiness in Swahili and whose uncle Larry Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013, earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from SDSU in 2017 and is pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership.