Mario Saint-Supery’s decision to head back to Spain and sign with Valencia left Gonzaga with a hole at point guard, and the Ohio court ruling that granted a preliminary injunction to 15 men’s college basketball players has suddenly widened the search. With recently graduated seniors now able to pursue a fifth season in 2026-27, Mark Few and the Bulldogs could have a real chance to chase a veteran guard who can step in and handle the job Saint-Supery was expected to do as a sophomore.
There are already some names in the mix from that lawsuit, including former Dayton guard Javon Bennett. But the bigger swing is obvious: if the fifth-year market opens up the way it might, Gonzaga could be in position to land someone with All-American-level production.
The dream target is Donovan Dent. If Gonzaga is looking for the best possible replacement, Dent is the one who jumps off the page. He spent his first three seasons at New Mexico and put together a monster junior year in 2024-25, averaging 20.4 points, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals while winning Mountain West Player of the Year and landing on the Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch List.
Gonzaga was among the schools that chased him when he entered the transfer portal before the 2025-26 season, but he ended up at UCLA with Mick Cronin. There, Dent averaged 13.3 points, 7.6 assists, 1.7 steals and only 1.8 turnovers in 34.4 minutes per game.
He also gave Gonzaga a firsthand look on Dec. 13, scoring 12 points on 3-for-6 shooting while adding 10 assists, three blocks and two steals. Dent then turned around and delivered one of his best games of the year in the Big Ten Tournament, piling up 23 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and four steals in UCLA’s upset of Michigan State.
The problem for Gonzaga is that Dent has already announced his intention to retire from playing and focus on getting into youth basketball. Still, a chance to run an elite offense and chase a national title is the kind of pitch that deserves a call, especially with the money available from Saint-Supery’s departure and Domantas Sabonis’ recent gift.
Another guard worth watching is Moe Odum, who spent three years making life miserable for Gonzaga in the WCC before finishing his senior season at Arizona State alongside Massamba Diop. Odum started at Pacific, then broke out at Pepperdine as a junior, averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 assists, which ranked fourth in the country.
He was even better for Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils. Odum put up a career-high 16.4 points per game to go with 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 33.7 minutes a night. He shot 37.7% from three on 7.2 attempts per game and hit 82.9% of his free throws.
At 6-foot-1, Odum is a little undersized, but Gonzaga has seen enough of him over the years to know exactly how dangerous he can be. If he gets a fifth season, he’d be the kind of guard the Bulldogs would much rather have wearing their jersey than trying to stop him.
Then there’s Jalen Calmese, a four-school veteran who has already played in Washington twice. He began at Lamar in the Southland, where he was Conference Rookie of the Year after averaging 17.6 points and shooting 36.7% from deep. After 16 games at Washington in 2023-24, he moved across the state to Washington State for the Cougars’ first WCC season.
At WSU, Calmese averaged 15.2 points, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.2 minutes per game. One of his best nights came against Gonzaga in January, when he went for 20 points, eight assists and four steals on 9-for-14 shooting. He also posted 20-point outings against Iowa and at Washington in non-conference play.
Calmese spent his senior year at Wake Forest, where he averaged 10.3 points, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals while committing just 1.8 turnovers per game. He also knocked down 39.8% of his threes on 4.0 attempts per game for Steve Forbes and the Demon Deacons.
For Gonzaga, Calmese would bring a little bit of everything: perimeter defense, playmaking and a jumper that looked sharp in the ACC.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Suddenly Has A Massive Backcourt Lifeline In Sight
Gonzagas backcourt picture took on a different shape with word that Donovan Dent is pursuing another year of college eligibility, a move that would give the Bulldogs a proven lead guard option at a time when those are hard to find. Dent, who has played at New Mexico and UCLA, is being represented by attorney Ryan Downton as he works through the NCAA process, and the possibility alone changes how the rest of the portal market looks around Spokane.
For Gonzaga, the appeal is obvious: a player with Dents experience would instantly raise the ceiling of a roster that already expects to compete at a high level. If the case does not land the way Gonzaga hopes, the staff will still have to keep working the board, with Wei Lin, Jason Edwards and L.J. Cason among the names in the mix as backup point guard options. [Read more 🡒]
Former Gonzaga Guard Dominick Harris Has Another Surprising New Stop
Dominick Harris is on the move again, and the former Gonzaga guard has landed at another West Coast Conference stop for the upcoming season. Pacific announced his addition on social media, adding a familiar name to its roster and giving Harris another chance to settle into a league he already knows well from his time at Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount.
For Harris, this latest transfer adds another layer to a college career that has already taken him through Gonzaga, LMU, UCLA and Loyola Chicago. Pacific is betting on the version of Harris that has shown he can be a productive perimeter threat, while Harris is once again looking for the right fit after a winding path that has included both strong stretches and difficult setbacks. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Few May Be Eyeing A Risky Answer At Point Guard
A possible point guard answer has surfaced in the transfer market, and it comes with the kind of upside-and-risk profile that can tempt a program looking for backcourt help. Michigan guard L.J. Cason, who averaged 8.4 points and 2.4 assists last season before his injury, is now in the portal as the Wolverines move into a new era under Mike Boynton after Dusty Mays departure.
For Gonzaga, any opening at the position is worth monitoring closely, especially with the roster still taking shape and the staff weighing every available option. Casons talent is obvious enough to make him an intriguing name, but the injury recovery attached to him also means this would be a longer-view bet rather than a clean, immediate fix. [Read more 🡒]