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Which Gonzaga players will actually play at Kraziness in the Kennel?
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- Which Gonzaga players will actually play at Kraziness in the Kennel?
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4). | Photo by Mercedes Smith
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will set foot on the McCarthey Athletic Center floor in front of the home crowd on Saturday, Oct. 3, for Kraziness in the Kennel.
This annual event serves as an introduction to Gonzaga's new players and acts as a way for fans to get hyped for the upcoming season. This year, it also comes with the added bonus of hyping up Gonzaga's place in the new-look Pac-12, where they will compete against traditionally strong programs like San Diego State , Utah State, Colorado State, and Boise State .
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While the Zags will be a preseason top 25, and potentially top 10 team, there are more questions than usual about Mark Few's roster this late in the season - thanks to the surprise departure of Mario Saint-Supery in July and the ongoing legal battles with the NCAA by three of the team's key additions.
Will Gonzaga's three fifth-year seniors take the floor?
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Xaivian Lee (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Because Kraziness is technically a practice, the current expectation is that all three of Gonzaga's class of 2022 seniors - Javon Bennett (Dayton), Xaivian Lee (Florida), and Chauncey Wiggins (Florida State) - will participate in the festivities and the Blue vs. White scrimmage.
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Currently, Lee is eligible thanks to a TRO granted in the state of California, although that could change at any time if the NCAA is granted a stay request by the court of appeals.
Both Bennett and Wiggins are currently ineligible because of stay requests granted in the Ohio and Georgia lawsuits, respectively, and they won't be reinstated until/unless the NCAA loses its appeal.
Mar 14, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Javon Bennett (0) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
So while all three should be on the court Saturday, there's a real chance they aren't all playing Nov. 2 when the regular season begins against Purdue in Las Vegas.
Will Izan Almansa be cleared for Kraziness?
The bigger mystery, at least for Saturday's event, is Izan Almansa, a 6'10 21-year-old from Spain who committed to Gonzaga back in May.
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Almansa has yet to be cleared by the NCAA due to his experience playing professionally, and while he's listed on the roster and enrolled in classes, he would not be eligible to participate at Kraziness unless his status changes before then.
Almansa spent the 2023-24 season with the G League Ignite, averaging 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds, before heading overseas to play for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL for 2024-25.
He then declared for the NBA draft, went undrafted, and returned to Spain to play for Real Madrid in 2025-26.
At 21 years old, he is well within the NCAA's age range, but a recent crackdown on international pros playing college basketball has his eligibility still in limbo with Kraziness just a few days away.
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Which Gonzaga newcomers will make their Kennel debuts?
Gonzaga recruit Luca Foster watches the Bulldogs' game against Northwest at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Erik Smith
Lee, Bennett, and Wiggins - assuming all three suit up - won't be the only newcomers wearing a Gonzaga uniform for the first time in front of the home crowd on Saturday.
Freshmen Sam Funches and Carter Nilson will also get their first taste of Kraziness in the Kennel. Funches measured at 7'0 on Gonzaga's updated roster, joining the team from Germantown, MS, where he earned Mr. Basketball honors as a senior. The big lefty ranks No. 82 at Rivals and is expected to be a developmental piece for coach Few in year one, although Almansa's status could push him into a bigger role right away.
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Nilson is the son of former Gonzaga guard Mike Nilson, joining the team after a productive high school career at nearby G Prep.
Gonzaga also adds two sophomore transfers: Massamba Diop (Arizona State) and Isiah Harwell (Houston). Diop will start at center and is a perfect fit next to Braden Huff in what looks like a top-five frontcourt in all of college basketball.
Feb 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meanwhile, Harwell is a former McDonald's All-American who played a sixth-man role last year at Houston, but who has tremendous untapped upside as a scorer and defender.
Gonzaga landed a commitment from 18-year-old French wing Juwan Ekanga over the summer. An electric athlete, Ekanga is still extremely raw and projects to fill a deep bench role in 2026-27 while he develops behind the scenes.
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Lastly, the Zags recently got word that Nathan de Sousa, a 23-year-old point guard from France, is cleared to play this upcoming season. de Sousa averaged roughly 11 points and five assists last year for Cholet, and brings valuable experience and playmaking to this backcourt.
The doors are set to open at 1:00 PM PT on Saturday, Oct. 3, with the event getting underway at 2:00. The scrimmage will air locally on SWX-TV and can be viewed online via the SWX live stream.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/gonzaga as Which Gonzaga players will actually play at Kraziness in the Kennel? .
