Mark Few’s 2026-27 Gonzaga team already has the look of a season worth circling, even before the roster is fully settled.
The Bulldogs are still waiting on the final pieces in mid-August, with at least one scholarship spot open and as many as three depending on whether the NCAA grants eligibility to international commits Nathan de Sousa and Izan Almansa. But even with that uncertainty, Gonzaga has pieced together a roster that feels loaded with upside as the program heads into the new-look Pac-12.
That alone makes this a fascinating group. Add in the conference change, the talent already on hand, and the non-conference schedule, and there are plenty of reasons for Zags fans to lean in.
One of the biggest is Davis Fogle. His freshman year was a shock to the system in the best possible way.
He started buried on the bench, then quickly turned into one of the most efficient young scorers Gonzaga has had in recent memory, putting up 7.7 points in just 8.7 minutes per game through December. By the end of the season, he had grown into a more complete perimeter threat and a real fixture in the rotation.
Now he’s one of only two returning players who logged major minutes last season, which puts him squarely in breakout territory. With a starting wing role waiting, Fogle should have every chance to push into the 15-20 points per game range. If the outside shot and passing keep climbing, he could even force his way into the NBA draft conversation before the season is done.
The conference move is another major part of the appeal. After 46 years in the West Coast Conference, Gonzaga is heading to the Pac-12 alongside Oregon State, Washington State, Texas State, Boise State, Utah State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State. That’s a very different weekly grind, and it should bring more demanding road environments than the Zags have been seeing for years.
Trips to Viejas Arena in San Diego, Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah, and ExtraMile Arena in Boise give this schedule a sharper edge right away. For fans who’ve grown used to Portland, Stockton, and Malibu, this is a new kind of road map.
Braden Huff gives the roster another major headline. He’s back for a fifth season after his 2025-26 campaign was derailed by a knee injury in mid-January, and Few said Huff is at 100% right now. That matters, because the 6-foot-10 big man had been rolling before the injury, averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds last year.
With this roster around him, Huff looks set up for a huge year. Gonzaga can play through him, and he should have plenty of room to operate alongside Fogle, Chauncey Wiggins, and Massamba Diop.
Diop may be the most intriguing addition of the offseason. The 7-foot center comes over from Arizona State after averaging 13.6 points and 2.2 blocks per game.
He brings rim protection, finishing, and size that should make life miserable for opposing frontcourts. Paired with Huff, he gives Gonzaga a front line that could be a problem every night.
Then there’s the shooting. Last season’s team was the worst three-point shooting group of the Mark Few era, and nobody around the program wants a repeat of that. Even with Mario Saint-Supery and Steele Venters gone, Gonzaga should be better from deep.
Chauncey Wiggins is a big reason why. The Florida State transfer hit 39% of nearly six attempts per game last year and gives Gonzaga a 6-foot-10 floor-spacer who can help open things up for Fogle, Huff, and Javon Bennett. Bennett is also a high-volume shooter from beyond the arc, and newcomers Skylar Wicks and Luca Foster both project as positive additions from three-point range.
The schedule should provide another serious test. Gonzaga has already lined up games against Purdue on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas, LSU on Nov. 14 at Spokane Arena, UCLA on Dec. 5 in Anaheim, Creighton on Dec. 12 in Omaha, Michigan State on Dec. 19 in Palm Springs, and Duke on Feb. 20 in Detroit.
That doesn’t even include possible matchups with Michigan, Miami, and Alabama in the Players Era Festival, or other games still to be finalized. A trip to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle also looks likely, with Oregon a possible opponent after the teams met last year in Portland.
However the rest of the non-conference schedule shakes out, Gonzaga is clearly not easing into the season. With Duke, UCLA, Michigan State, and Purdue already on the slate, the Bulldogs will be tested before they ever get to the Pac-12. And that sets up a team with a real chance to chase the first conference title in the new league while making another run in March.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Still Has One Roster Decision That Could Reshape Its Backcourt
Gonzagas backcourt plans still have one notable wrinkle as the staff works through its final roster spot, and the name drawing plenty of attention is Iowa transfer guard Tavion Banks. The Bulldogs are looking to add perimeter scoring, and Banks fits the type of guard who could give the offense another layer while also forcing the staff to think carefully about how any new piece would fit with the players already in place.
The interest is real enough to keep Gonzaga in the mix, even with other programs circling, and the decision could shape how the rotation looks once the roster is filled out. With one opening left, the Bulldogs are weighing not just talent but fit, and Banks has emerged as one of the more interesting possibilities as the staff tries to balance immediate scoring needs with the rest of its recruiting picture. [Read more 🡒]