Graham Ike didn’t need long to make his mark with the Golden State Warriors.
The former Gonzaga big man, now a professional rookie, made his first NBA start on October 23 against the Memphis Grizzlies. In 12 minutes, he scored 10 points, hit 4 of 6 shots and went a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range. He also pulled down two offensive rebounds.
Golden State put him in the starting five again the very next day against the Phoenix Suns, and Ike delivered even more. He logged 26 minutes, finished with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for his first NBA double-double. The night also included a putback dunk that stood out in the box score and on the floor.
His next appearance came on the road against the Denver Nuggets, where he played less than three minutes against his home state team.
For an undrafted player who signed an Exhibit-10 deal with Golden State on June 26, that kind of early run is no small thing. Ike is not just making an NBA roster - he’s flashing for a Warriors team that doesn’t have a whole lot to look forward to this season.
There’s also a built-in Gonzaga-to-Golden State connection here. Mark Few and Steve Kerr coach together for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and with the Warriors carrying the oldest roster in the NBA at an average age of 29.39 years, Kerr could end up leaning on Ike more than anyone expected.
Ike wasn’t the only Zag making noise during the NBA’s opening week.
Jalen Suggs opened his sixth season with the Orlando Magic by putting up 14 points, six rebounds and six assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 23. Then came a tougher moment two days later against the defending champion New York Knicks, when Suggs suffered a non-contact injury late in the fourth quarter.
Seeing a player go down grabbing a knee, especially without contact, usually sends every fan’s mind to the worst place. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Suggs was diagnosed with a mild bone bruise in his right knee and will be out for at least two weeks.
Andrew Nembhard has also gotten off to a strong start in Indiana. Through his first two games of his fifth NBA season with the Pacers, he has averaged 16.0 points on 55.2% shooting, along with 1.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He did not play on October 26 against the Milwaukee Bucks because of neck and back issues.
Ryan Nembhard, meanwhile, got his first action for the Denver Nuggets and made the most of it, going 2-for-3 from the field and knocking down a three-pointer. His offseason was a whirlwind: he was traded from the Dallas Mavericks, where he spent his rookie season, to the Atlanta Hawks, then traded again to the Charlotte Hornets on September 22 before being waived on September 26.
A week into the 2026-2027 NBA season, the former Zags are already making themselves visible - and Ike, especially, has wasted no time getting noticed.
In Other News...
Lauren Whittaker Is Giving Gonzaga One More Reason To Feel Dangerous
Lisa Fortier enters the 2026-27 season with plenty of familiar pieces back in place, and Lauren Whittaker is a big reason Gonzaga looks like more than just the league favorite. The Bulldogs return 10 players from last years group, including Whittaker, the reigning WCC Player of the Year, along with Allie Turner, Jaiden Haile and Ines Bettencourt, giving a veteran roster a chance to keep building on what it already established.
Whittakers recognition this preseason only adds to the sense that Gonzaga has a team opponents will have to plan around from the start. She landed on the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Award Watch List, which tracks the top player outside the Power Five, a reminder that her profile now stretches well beyond Spokane. For a program already expected to win the Pac-12, having a player like Whittaker back in the fold makes the Bulldogs look even more dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Davis Fogle Is Giving Gonzaga Fans A Bigger Debate Entering The Season
Davis Fogles rise is already giving Gonzaga fans something to chew on before the season even gets rolling. The Bulldogs forward landed on the 20-player watch list for the 2027 Julius Erving Award, the annual honor from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame that recognizes the top small forwards in Division I mens basketball, and it puts his name in the mix at a national level after being selected by a committee of college basketball personnel.
For Gonzaga, it is another reminder that the conversation around Fogle is only going to grow as the calendar turns. Fan voting opens on Oct. 30, and the award picture will keep tightening in the months ahead before the winner is chosen in late March 2027, so his name should stay in the spotlight for a while as the Bulldogs move into the new season. [Read more 🡒]