Gonzaga is set to put a new name on the strength and conditioning facility that serves its men’s and women’s basketball players, with the school planning a dedication ceremony Thursday afternoon on campus.
The ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. inside the Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement, where the university will honor a former Bulldog standout and current NBA player who recently made what Gonzaga called a “transformative gift” in support of the men’s basketball program. The player was not identified in the university’s Monday press release.
“The gift marks a significant investment in the continued development, performance and well-being of Gonzaga basketball student-athletes,” the university’s press release read.
The move comes as Gonzaga’s NBA pipeline continues to stand out nationally. During Mark Few’s 28 years in Spokane, the program has produced a growing list of active pros, with 13 former Bulldogs taking the floor in regular-season games in 2025-26.
That success has also translated into serious money at the next level. A June 10 post from College Basketball Report listed Gonzaga third among NCAA Division I schools in combined NBA earnings from its players, trailing only Kentucky and Duke.
Domantas Sabonis led the way among Gonzaga alums last season, making more than $42,000,000 with the Sacramento Kings. Chet Holmgren, who won an NBA championship in 2025 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, is set to begin the first season of a five-year maximum deal worth $239,250,000 in 2026-27.
Beyond those two, seven other former Gonzaga players earned at least $12 million last season: Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic at $35 million, Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers at $18.2 million, Andrew Nembhard of the Indiana Pacers at $18.2 million, Zach Collins of the Chicago Bulls at $18.1 million, Corey Kispert of the Atlanta Hawks at $13.9 million, Kelly Olynyk of the San Antonio Spurs at $13.4 million and Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies at $12.5 million.
Gonzaga’s strength and conditioning room first opened in 2018, when the school completed the three-story Volkar Center. The building also houses a basketball practice court, nutrition and social space, and academic support services for student-athletes.
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