Gonzaga’s search for a point guard took another hit on a rough day for the Bulldogs.
The latest blow came with UCLA transfer guard Donovan Dent choosing LSU, where he’ll play for coach Will Wade. Dent told On3 that he’s headed to Baton Rouge, leaving Gonzaga still looking for the lead guard it seemed to have lined up after Mario Saint-Supery left the program for Spain’s Valencia Basket of the EuroLeague.
Dent’s decision adds to the uncertainty around Gonzaga’s roster. The Zags technically have four open spots with the ongoing fifth-year eligibility chaos in college athletics, and they are still waiting on the situations involving point guard Nathan De Sousa of France’s Cholet Basket and power forward/center Izan Almansa of Spain’s Real Madrid, along with Javon Bennett.
Bennett’s status changed after court documents from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals said that all Class of 2022 athletes from the state of Colorado’s 5-in-5 ruling, except for those who already have their own temporary restraining order or injunction until further state court order, are now ineligible after the NCAA stay was granted in the state of Ohio case. Bennett now has an injunction pending. He can try to regain eligibility before the start of the 2026-27 season, and he could attempt to join an existing state lawsuit or file a separate one, though there’s no guarantee a judge would allow it.
Dent’s move to LSU also comes with some familiar company. He is reuniting with Skyy Clark, the UCLA Bruins combo guard who also received a temporary restraining order in the age-based litigation in California. LSU, which has only four officially formalized players on its 2026-27 roster, clearly needed bodies and landed Dent after he apparently opted for the bigger check.
The Tigers and Zags are scheduled to meet at Numerica Veterans Arena on Nov. 14.
That leaves Gonzaga watching Florida Gators transfer Xaivian Lee closely in the portal. Lee has been granted a fifth year of eligibility through the same California proceeding that involved Dent and Clark, and he’s now a major name in the Bulldogs’ ongoing effort to solve the point guard spot.
There was at least one small bit of good news for Gonzaga on an otherwise difficult afternoon: Florida State transfer Chauncey Wiggins remains eligible to play for now through the injunction in Georgia. Wiggins posted on Instagram that he had arrived at the McCarthey Athletic Center, showing off its new Pac-12 Conference logo.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Faces A Late Backcourt Decision With Veteran Guard
Gonzagas womens basketball roster has already taken shape for the coming season, with 10 players back from last year and a mix of new transfers and a freshman joining the group. But one veteran piece remains in limbo, as Ines Bettencourt has entered the transfer portal after being granted a fifth year of eligibility through a temporary restraining order tied to a California lawsuit.
For Gonzaga, the move leaves a late backcourt decision hanging over the program and keeps one of its experienced guards in play for either a return or a fresh start elsewhere. Bettencourt can still choose to come back to Spokane for the 2026-27 season, but for now her next stop remains unresolved as the Bulldogs wait to see how the roster settles around her situation. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzagas Point Guard Plans Just Got Complicated Again
Javon Bennetts path to Gonzaga got a lot less straightforward again this week, and for a player trying to map out his next college season, the timing matters. The Dayton transfer and Gonzaga point guard commit had been moving through the usual offseason questions, but his case now sits inside a much bigger NCAA eligibility fight that continues to bounce between courts.
Recent legal wins for the NCAA have complicated the picture, with stays granted in the federal Wisne lawsuit and in the Borovicanin case out of Ohio. Those rulings affect Bennett and other athletes seeking a fifth season, even as some players in similar situations, including Gonzaga commit Chauncey Wiggins, still remain eligible under separate state injunctions. For Gonzaga, it is another reminder that roster planning can change quickly while the legal process keeps sorting itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzagas Backcourt Plans Just Took Another Hit Before The Season
The latest court ruling has added another layer of uncertainty to Gonzagas backcourt plans before the season even gets going. In the Wisne vs. NCAA federal lawsuit, the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAAs stay request, which means student-athletes from the 2022 class are now ineligible while the case works through the appeals process. For Gonzaga, the immediate impact falls on Dayton transfer point guard Javon Bennett, whose status for the upcoming season is now in question.
Bennett is not the only name to monitor, either. Xaivian Lee, Donovan Dent and Chauncey Wiggins remain eligible for now because of separate state rulings, but that does not mean their situations are settled. NCAA stay requests in those cases could still change the picture, leaving Gonzaga with a roster issue that could shift again before the Bulldogs ever get to opening night. [Read more 🡒]