Courtesy of SDSU Media Relations

Everybody knows that guy. He takes all of the leftovers and sloppy seconds. He’s not a bad person, just not the first one invited to parties and hangouts.

The San Diego State men’s basketball team is becoming that guy.

If a player doesn’t like his current digs, he comes to SDSU. If big-time programs don’t take a guy out of high school and he went to a junior college, there’s a good chance he’ll become an Aztec.

Last season, SDSU played four transfers and next year’s recruiting class is headed by another – Kelvin Davis from the College of Southern Idaho.

The 2007-08 Aztecs’ roster will have almost as many transfers as it does high school recruits.

But that’s not a bad thing. Transfers bring a lot to the table. They often have intangibles that the best high school players don’t: leadership, experience, poise and fundamentals. Those traits make the other, flashier aspects of basketball – running, dunking, stealing – possible.

“I know that personally, all I’m worried about is doing things that help the team win,” said Ryan Amoroso, a junior transfer from Marquette University. “It doesn’t matter if it’s only little things, but I do think that I’ll be able to bring some leadership to the school.”

Aside from the subtle advantages a high transfer rate denotes, it also says something about the program as a whole. SDSU is a place players want to be.

“I think San Diego State has been moving up on the map,” Amoroso said. “With Coach Fisher we’re able to recruit quality guys a lot easier than before. (SDSU) is a place guys want to be now.”

Amoroso isn’t just saying this stuff to be nice, either.

When he left Marquette, he left an accomplished school in a top division (Big East). Marquette was a top-25 program during the 2006-07 season and produced current NBA star Dwyane Wade.

Mohammed Abukar, currently trying to land on an NBA roster, transferred from the University of Florida – winners of the last two NCAA basketball championships – and junior forward Lorrenzo Wade came from the University of Louisville.

Those players and potentially more in the future join the Aztecs because they see a blossoming program that made the NCAA Tournament two years ago, just missed it last season and is projected to join the party again in 2007-08.

“I think it’s an exciting time for the players and the fans,” Amoroso said. “We’ve got a great coaching staff and the players to really play well next year.”

Still, it won’t be easy.

Transfers frequently have large reputations and are called on to exceed expectations. Players from top-tier schools are supposed to be elite athletes and guys from smaller junior colleges have gaudy statistics to live up to.

However, if the pressure of precedent is SDSU’s biggest obstacle in 2007-08, things may be looking up.