Story by
The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Gonzaga men adjust on the fly after whirlwind offseason
- Story byThe Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
- Gonzaga men adjust on the fly after whirlwind offseason
Oct. 29—Anyone trying to get a feel for what Gonzaga's strengths and weaknesses will be in 2026-27 may feel slightly better knowing the highly qualified coaches observing and analyzing practices inside the Volkar Center still aren't totally sure, either.
"It's wild that I can't tell you on Oct. 21, because there's still some uncertainty," assistant Brian Michaelson said when asked about the group's identity two weeks ago.
Advertisement
Will the Zags be an improved perimeter shooting team after posting the lowest 3-point percentages of the Mark Few era in consecutive seasons? Probably a safe bet, but it could depend on the eligibility of fifth-year transfer Chauncey Wiggins, a tall, smooth-shooting forward who made 157 3s during ACC stops at Clemson and Florida State.
"He's far and away our best shooter and we could've used some 3s tonight," Few said after watching the Zags miss 11 consecutive 3s and finish 6 of 28 during an exhibition loss to Arkansas. "I think that's why I feel encouraged."
Will the Zags have a stable of point guards that runs as deep as any in the country? Potentially, but it could require two more court decisions — one involving Florida transfer Xaivian Lee, another involving Dayton transfer Javon Bennett — swinging in their favor. If not, Frenchman Nathan De Sousa, the only point guard guaranteed to be eligible through March, will take on a significantly bigger load, raising more questions about one of the most important positions in Few's system.
But while we're on the topic of "what-ifs," consider this one: What if the Zags only require marginal depth and role talent around a Big Four of Braden Huff, Davis Fogle, Massamba Diop and Isiah Harwell in order to sustain a top-15 ranking, capture a Pac-12 championship and march back to the Sweet 16 after second-round exits each of the last two years?
Advertisement
Most notably, Huff is back in the fold after missing the final two months of his junior season with a left knee injury. Early signs suggest there's been no drop-off in the crafty forward's conditioning or low-post game and he led all scorers with 19 points against Arkansas.
Huff will be paired next to Diop, the towering Arizona State transfer who chose Few's program at Gonzaga over Rick Pitino's at St. John's in a high-stakes portal bidding war between Naismith Hall of Fame coaches. Diop isn't nearly as refined around the basket as Huff's previous running mate, Graham Ike, but he offers a level of rim protection the Zags haven't had since Chet Holmgren and could thrive as a lob threat when opponents look to double Huff.
"Graham and B-Huff are both big guys, but obviously Massamba's just 7-foot -plus, so to have legitimate size and strength at both those positions is something we're really excited about, something we really wanted," Michaelson said. "Then I do think their skill sets will complement each other. They're both unselfish players, B-Huff is obviously a big-time, big-time scorer. Massamba's ability to run the floor, Massamba's ability to be a lob and shot-blocking threat. They can both drive the ball, they can both make an outside shot.
"You can post one and the other can be off the ball. You can ball -screen with one and the other can be off the ball, they can have a skill overlap that fits together."
Advertisement
If Huff isn't leading the Zags in scoring average at the end of the season, that honor will likely go to Fogle, an attack-minded wing who can hurt opponents at all three levels. Fogle averaged 10.9 points once he became a full-fledged member of GU's rotation last season and opened a few more eyes with a blistering 30-point performance — in only 20 minutes of game action — at Kraziness in the Kennel. The slender 6-foot-7 sophomore worked to add more muscle this offseason and fine-tuned his 3-point shooting stroke — a change that was evident at Kraziness, when he connected on 6 of 7 shots from behind the arc.
"He's got such an awesome love for the game, a high care factor, he's super passionate about his craft that if he wants to be here extra, he wants to be in here," assistant coach Stephen Gentry said. "It's part of what makes him awesome and so great is his drive and love for the game of basketball and competing."
The biggest X factor could be Harwell, a five-star high school prospect thought to be a NBA lottery pick candidate before injuries and inconsistent offensive play hindered his freshman year at Houston. Harwell has the potential to be Gonzaga's most effective two-way player as a bigger two-guard who can manufacture his own shots on offense and simultaneously handle the top assignment at the other end of the floor.
After making 27.1% of his 3s at Houston, Harwell believes he's rediscovered the 3-point accuracy that made him one of the nation's top recruiting prospects a year ago. There's already proof, too. Harwell went 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and finished 10 of 14 from the field in his first two public outings wearing a Gonzaga uniform (Kraziness and Arkansas).
Advertisement
"I feel like I lost a little bit of confidence in myself coming from Houston," Harwell said. "Staying in the gym and working on it day and night with B-Mike and Snacks (assistant Zach Norvell Jr.) really helped me. Repetition and getting that confidence back that I was a good shooter."
Gonzaga's depth will be dictated by the ongoing, unpredictable 5-in-5 lawsuits. If eligible, Lee presumably slides into the starting point guard role, pushing De Sousa to the bench, where he could be joined by Wiggins and Bennett — veteran players with 2,533 career points and three NCAA Tournament appearances between them.
The bench unit will also feature Izan Almansa, an experienced Spanish forward who gives the Zags a rebounding presence they lack elsewhere in the frontcourt. Twenty-four hours after learning he was eligible, Almansa was an instant-impact player against Arkansas, scoring 12 points with six rebounds off the bench.
If the Zags get bad news on the eligibility front, they'll either tighten up their rotation or turn to a younger group of reserve players. Freshmen wings Luca Foster and Juwan Ekanga showed flashes of potential during preseason scrimmages/exhibitions. Sophomore forward Parker Jefferson and freshman center Sam Funches will be GU's emergency bigs, but won't expect to see much time behind the trio of Huff, Diop and Almansa.
