5 potential landing spots for Gonzaga guard Braeden Smith in the transfer portal

Where will Braeden Smith play in his final season of eligibility?

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Braeden Smith (3). | Photo by Myk Crawford

The Gonzaga Bulldogs had two point guards split time during the 2025-26 season, with veteran Braeden Smith and freshman Mario Saint-Supery offering very different looks for coach Mark Few's club.

Ultimately, Saint-Supery took over the role down the stretch of the season, and the late drop in playing time made it unsurprising when Smith opted to enter the transfer portal at the end of the season, looking for a new home in his final season of eligibility.

The Seattle native spent two years at Colgate - earning Patriot League Player of the Year in 2023-24 - before redshirting at Gonzaga in 2024-25 and stepping into a key role for the Zags this past season. All told, Smith averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 17.1 minutes, starting 18 of 35 games in his lone season on the court for Gonzaga.

Now he'll look for a chance to play big minutes and earn a nice paycheck in 2026-27. Below is a look at five schools - including three in the Big Ten - that make sense as potential landing spots for the 6'0 rising senior guard:

1. Washington Huskies

Smith grew up in Seattle and starred at Seattle Prep HS before heading out to New York to play at Colgate. He came about 90% of the way back home when he signed with Gonzaga, and a few hundred more miles west could land him back in Seattle playing for coach Danny Sprinkle at Washington.

UW saw point guards Zoom Diallo, JJ Mandaquit, and Courtland Muldrew all enter the transfer portal, and the eligibility status is murky for both Quimari Peterson and Desmond Claude. That could leave the Huskies completely barren at the PG spot, making Smith a very logical target. His fast-paced style of play could be a nice change for a slower UW team, while his ball security and distribution are much-needed skills in Montlake.

2. Oregon Ducks

Smith's best game of the season came against Oregon in late December, when the 6'0 guard dropped a season-high 21 points with seven assists and two steals against the Ducks on 7-10 shooting.

Dana Altman will certainly have that performance rattling around in his head as he looks to rebuild an entire backcourt in Eugene, following the transfers of Jackson Shelstad, Jamari Phillips, and Wei Lin, as well as the departure of senior TK Simpkins.

Smith plays at a faster tempo than Oregon typically does, which would be an adjustment, but for a team that had major turnover issues last year, adding a steady, veteran ball-handler makes a ton of sense.

3. Illinois Fighting Illini

The top assistant coach at Colgate in the two years Smith played there was Camryn Crocker, who left the same year as Smith and has spent the past two seasons on Brad Underwood's staff at Illinois.

The Illini are fresh off a Final Four appearance and will have a lot of holes to fill in the backcourt, with Kylan Boswell out of eligibility, Keaton Wagler off to the NBA, and Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic entering the transfer portal.

The team does have a few guards coming in the 2026 class, but they both play off the ball, making a pure PG a big need. Smith may not start for the Illini, but getting to play in the Big Ten and for a coach with whom he is familiar makes a ton of sense, and his elite ball security, free throw shooting, and efficient scoring would fit nicely in Champaign - even on a slower-paced Illini squad.

4. New Mexico Lobos

The first three landing spots are programs that play a slower-paced style, but Smith did some of his best work last season out in transition. If he wants to find a team that will let him get out and go, Eric Olen's New Mexico Lobos might be the perfect fit.

The Lobos had the 47th fastest adjusted tempo in the country last year, per KenPom, with an average possession length of 16.2 seconds, which ranked 38th. They also got a ton of looks at the rim and averaged over 15 assists per game as a team, all things that on paper make Smith a strong fit.

New Mexico saw star guard Jake Hall enter the portal after averaging 16.4 points last year, while seniors Luke Haupt (3.1 assists) and Deyton Albury (3.0) are both moving on as well.

Smith would be a great piece in the new look Mountain West under coach Olen, where his frenetic pace and distribution skills fit like a glove.

5. Eastern Washington Eagles

Braeden's brother, Bryce Smith, played defensive back at EWU this past year. Could the brothers reunite on the same campus in 2026-27? Former Gonzaga coach Dan Monson would absolutely love to have Smith running point for him, especially after losing guards Isaiah Moses, Jojo Anderson, and Tyler Powell to graduation.

EWU might not have the budget to pay Smith what he deserves on the open market, but the appeal of playing with his brother and having the keys to the kingdom could entice Smith to play out his final season of eligibility just 30 miles away in Cheney.