3 things to watch when Gonzaga’s new-look roster takes the floor at Kraziness

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs will take the floor together on Saturday, Oct. 3, for the annual Kraziness in the Kennel.

It will serve as an introduction to Gonzaga's 11 newcomers, including freshmen Luca Foster and Sam Funches, as well as transfers Massamba Diop and Isiah Harwell from Arizona State and Houston, respectively.

Fans can also expect to see the Zags' three fifth-year senior transfers - Javon Bennett, Chauncey Wiggins, and Xaivian Lee - take the court as well, although their eligibility remains in the hands of the courts and the NCAA for now.

While the scrimmage is only a small glimpse into this team, it does provide some insight into how these players are looking with less than a month until the team's exhibition opener at Arkansas on Oct. 25. Here are three things for fans to watch for on Saturday when the action gets underway at 2:00 PM PT:

1. Is Davis Fogle ready for a breakout season?

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4). | Photo by Lane Mathews

All eyes will be on Davis Fogle this upcoming season, and for good reason. The 6'7 wing went from an end-of-the-bench garbage-time scorer to an integral part of Gonzaga's rotation last season, undergoing an insane level of development as a scorer, facilitator, and defender.

Now the path has been cleared for the Anacortes, WA, native to take on a massive role as a sophomore, with many believing he could be one of the biggest breakout candidates in the entire country.

Does Fogle handle the ball at all on Saturday in a point guard capacity? How does he look getting to the rim, and do we see flashes that his outside shot has improved?

Don't be surprised if he leads all scorers on Saturday, no matter which team he's on.

2. How does Isiah Harwell fit at Gonzaga?

Feb 10, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1) makes a pass against the Utah Utes during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harwell was heavily recruited by Gonzaga out of high school, but the Pocatello, ID, native instead began his college career at Houston in the Big 12, where he averaged 3.6 points in roughly 14 minutes per game.

Now the former McDonald's All-American will play at Gonzaga as a sophomore, and his long-awaited program debut will be this Saturday. Does the 6'6 wing look ready to play in a much different system than the one he ran with in Houston? Is his athleticism back after a leg injury limited him last year?

Fans won't get complete answers to those questions at Kraziness, but a first real look at Harwell could give some insight into how he will be utilized in 2026-27.

3. Which Gonzaga freshmen look ready to contribute?

Germantown Mavericks' Sam Funches (32) dunks the ball during the game against the Murrah Mustangs in Jackson, Miss., on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arguably the best part of Kraziness is seeing the freshmen make their collegiate debuts. Saturday will see guard Luca Foster, center Sam Funches, French wing Juwan Ekanga, French guard Nathan de Sousa, and walk-on wing Carter Nilson make their first appearance in a Gonzaga uniform.

de Sousa is a 23-year-old coming to Spokane with just one year of eligibility - but the other four are true freshmen for coach Few's club. Izan Almansa is currently not cleared by the NCAA, but if that changes before Saturday, he could make his college debut as well.

Only one of the four freshmen looks like a real candidate to play rotation minutes this upcoming season, and that's Foster - a 6'5 wing who ranked No. 52 in the 2026 class at 247Sports, thanks to his high-level shot-making and positional length.

Foster has reportedly been very impressive this summer, and a strong showing on Saturday could gain him some fan appreciation and momentum heading into the regular season.

Funches looks ticketed for a deep reserve role behind Diop, Huff, Alamansa - if eligible - and Jefferson, although he has tremendous upside and could surprise some folks this weekend.

Ekanga is a very raw, but very high-upside, wing prospect that will be very fun to watch on Saturday - even if he isn't seen all that often in the regular season.

Kraziness begins at 2:00 PM PT, and will be broadcast locally on SWX.

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