Skylar Wicks’ departure left Gonzaga with another hole to patch, and the Bulldogs are still sorting through a roster picture that has been unsettled all offseason.
That latest wrinkle came Thursday, less than 24 hours after Gonzaga landed former Princeton and Florida point guard Xaivian Lee. Wicks, a St. Francis transfer wing who had committed to the Zags in June, reopened his recruitment and exited the program.
So now Mark Few and company are back in the market for a player who can live with a limited role. That matters here, because Wicks had been lined up for depth minutes on the perimeter. Gonzaga also still needs clarity on the eligibility status of five players: French guard Nathan de Sousa, Spanish forward Izan Almansa, and fifth-year seniors Lee, Chauncey Wiggins, and Javon Bennett.
There are international options and fifth-year seniors in play, including a known connection to former Iowa guard Tavion Banks. But there are also eligible transfers still available, and Gonzaga has a clear opening to address.
One name to watch is Sasa Zugic, a 6-foot-6 wing from Montenegro who arrived at Creighton with plenty of buzz ahead of the 2024-25 season. Because he got to Omaha late, his freshman year was always going to be a bit uneven. He played in 22 games and averaged 4.5 points in 11.8 minutes, while shooting 63.6% on twos and 40% from deep on just under two attempts per game.
The follow-up season never really took off the way many expected. Zugic appeared in 34 games for the Bluejays, starting eight, and posted 5.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 16.2 minutes per game. His efficiency dipped, too, with his two-point shooting falling to 53.8% and his three-point mark landing at 30.5% on 29-for-95 shooting.
Still, he had flashes. He scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds in a road win at UConn in his first career start, and he had 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting from three at Marquette in late January. The long-range numbers overall aren’t eye-popping - his career 33.3% from three doesn’t jump off the page - but as a depth wing, he brings upside and could make sense as a change-of-scenery swing for Gonzaga.
Another possibility is Rylan Carter, a Tacoma native who played high school ball at Rosemary Anderson Prep in Portland. There, he put up video-game numbers: 27.6 points and 4.4 assists per game, while knocking down 40.3% from three on nearly 10 attempts a night.
His college stop at Hawaii was far quieter. Carter played in 14 games and totaled 14 points, nine rebounds and two assists as a freshman this past season.
He initially committed to Nicholls State after entering the portal, but he has since reopened his recruitment. At 6-foot-5, with that kind of shooting pedigree - even if it came at the high school level - he offers enough upside to be part of the conversation, especially with Gonzaga’s backcourt still sitting in eligibility uncertainty.
The third option is another Washington product, Tytan Kepley. The 6-foot-4 guard is from Bellingham and spent the 2024-25 season at Division II Western Washington before moving on to Montana last year.
At Montana, Kepley averaged 6.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game, starting 10 of 28 contests. His efficiency was uneven - 47.7% on twos, 68.1% at the line and 30% from three on 15-for-50 shooting - but it still counted as a solid first Division I season. He handled some point guard duties in Missoula and also spent time off the ball, which gives him the kind of versatility that would make him a workable depth guard for Gonzaga.