While the year in residency required of transfers serves as a time when newcomers can get acclimated to a new program, system and campus, it can also be a time when players can address medical issues. In the case of two San Diego State transfers, knee issues have resulted in them undergoing surgery this week.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune wing Montaque Gill-Caesar and forward Max Hoetzel both underwent knee surgery. While Gill-Caesar had a cyst removed from his knee, Hoetzel’s procedure was to repair some cartilage. Both players are expected to be sidelined anywhere from four to six weeks.
With both players having to sit out this season anyway, this isn’t going to impact San Diego State’s rotation heading into the start of the upcoming season. But it does leave the Aztecs a couple bodies short in practice for the time being, which could make things difficult at times for a group that had some roster depth issues to address this summer.
Joining Gill-Caesar and Hoetzel as redshirts this season is freshman forward Nolan Narain, originally a 2016 commitment who decided to reclassify in the summer.