A Georgia judge’s ruling on Wednesday has opened another lane for Gonzaga as it looks to piece together its 2026-27 roster.
The injunction granted immediate eligibility to 30 student-athletes for the 2026-27 season and bars the NCAA from stopping those players from competing at any Division 1 school because they did not enter the portal. In practical terms, that means they can sign wherever they want without NCAA punishment hanging over them.
It’s the latest in a string of similar decisions. Ohio produced one last month, Tennessee followed last week, and a federal ruling in Colorado has already given eligibility to all members of the high school class of 2022. The difference there is that the Colorado case does not allow players to transfer unless they had already entered the transfer portal.
For Mark Few and the Bulldogs, the Georgia case matters because it puts several high-level players into play as Gonzaga prepares for its move into the Pac-12 in 2026-27. It also gives a boost to the group of players seeking injunctions in California, including top target Donovan Dent, whose case could end up creating the same kind of freedom. If that happens, Dent would be able to head to Gonzaga instead of being required to go back to UCLA.
Dent averaged 7.6 assists last season for the Bruins, and that playmaking would make him a natural fit to step into the point guard role vacated by Mario Saint-Supery in 2026-27.
Gonzaga has room to work with on the roster, and two names from the Georgia lawsuit stand out as obvious fits.
Chauncey Wiggins is the first. The 6-foot-11 forward spent three years at Clemson before breaking out as a starter last season at Florida State.
He plays more like a wing than a classic big, and his outside shot has been a steady part of his game for a while. Last season, he knocked down 38.7% of his 5.8 three-point attempts per game for the Seminoles.
His 72 made threes ranked 13th in the ACC and first among players taller than 6-foot-10.
Wiggins also shot 61.8% on twos and 85.1% at the line last season. At Gonzaga, he could fill either the three or the four, which would give Davis Fogle more freedom to handle the ball and provide frontcourt cover while Izan Almansa continues to fight for eligibility through the NCAA.
Another name to watch is Washington, a 6-foot-4 guard from Portland. He spent two years at Texas Tech, then one year at Pacific in 2024-25, and last season played in the ACC with Georgia Tech.
At Pacific, Washington averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, earning All-WCC Second Team honors and making noise nationally when he went for 40 points on 16-of-22 shooting in Pacific’s upset win at Washington State.
He was productive again at Georgia Tech, posting 9.6 points, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals across 29 games. Washington brings size, passing and defensive ability, but the one thing that has never really come with him is outside shooting. He has hit just 28.2% of his career threes on fewer than two attempts per game.
Even so, he would still address a Gonzaga backcourt that is light on proven experience and talent right now.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Just Addressed Its Biggest Backcourt Question
Gonzaga has moved to steady its backcourt by landing Javon Bennett, a transfer portal addition who brings a proven scoring and defensive profile to the Bulldogs. Bennett, who played at Merrimack and Dayton, is expected to step into the point guard role and help organize an offense that has been looking for a reliable table-setter.
His path to Spokane comes with an unusual twist, as he will use an additional year of eligibility tied to an Ohio lawsuit and arrive for the 2026-27 season. For Gonzaga, the appeal is obvious: Bennett has the kind of two-way experience and facilitation chops that can ease pressure on the perimeter and give the roster a more stable lead guard presence. [Read more 🡒]