Can Chance Gladden Beat the Patriot League Learning Curve?

---

Chance Gladden has been earning praise around San Diego State, with Nick Anderson among those excited about the sophomore guard. His freshman résumé helps explain why. At Boston University, Gladden averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 assists, shot 47.6% from the field and earned third-team All-Patriot League honors. For a player navigating his first college season, that is a promising foundation. Now he brings that experience to the Mesa with three years of eligibility and an opportunity to develop against stronger competition.

The adjustment deserves attention because productive Patriot League players have experienced very different outcomes after transferring. Braeden Smith, the conference’s 2024 Player of the Year at Colgate, averaged 12.5 points and 5.6 assists before joining Gonzaga. After a redshirt year, he averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 17.1 minutes during 2025–26. His scoring declined, but he still started 18 games and recorded 127 assists against 38 turnovers. Smith’s experience illustrates how a player can contribute meaningfully while adapting to a smaller role, and why matching an old scoring average should not be the only measure of success.

Other examples reinforce how much opportunity can change. Jeameril Wilson went from 11.2 points at Lehigh to 2.9 at Loyola Chicago, while Andre Screen dropped from 11.2 at Bucknell to 5.2 in his first Butler season. Those declines are reasons to examine a transfer’s fit and responsibilities carefully. They do not determine Gladden’s future, especially when his own development is still at such an early stage.

Gladden’s combination of size and playmaking makes him particularly intriguing. At a listed 6-foot-4, he has useful height for a point guard, potentially helping him see over pressure and contest opposing guards. His 150 assists ranked 12th among Division I freshmen, showing that he was already creating opportunities for teammates while learning the college game. Against quicker defenders, those reads will need to happen earlier and passing windows will close faster. But SDSU has a young guard with substantial experience making those decisions, giving him something concrete to build upon.

His shooting offers another reason for optimism. Gladden made 34.7% of his threes and shot 86.7% on 143 free-throw attempts. The perimeter shot still has room to develop, while the free-throw numbers provide encouraging evidence of touch. He also experienced pressure possessions early in his career, delivering a winning drive against Harvard, a late winning jumper in the Patriot League quarterfinal and 26 points in the semifinal victory over Navy. Those performances cannot predict his results at SDSU, but they show a freshman trusted to take responsibility when games were on the line.

There are plenty of reasons to believe talent can travel from the Patriot League, too. Cam Spencer moved from Loyola Maryland to Rutgers and averaged 13.2 points while shooting 43.4% from three. Andrew Funk transferred from Bucknell to Penn State, averaged 12.5 points and made 112 threes at 41.2%. Both became major contributors despite scoring less than at their previous schools. Their experiences show why Gladden should be evaluated through the value he brings to SDSU: creating good shots, making sound decisions and developing into a dependable defender

Anderson’s confidence adds to the anticipation, but Gladden’s own accomplishments give that excitement substance. He has already shown he can produce, facilitate and handle responsibility as a freshman. There will be adjustments as he learns a new system and faces stronger opponents, and progress may come unevenly.

With his size, passing ability and shooting touch, however, Chance gives SDSU several reasons to invest in his development—and Aztec fans good reasons to look forward to watching it.