Gonzaga's 2027 commit is making a major name for himself

Dooney Johnson had a strong summer for Team Herro on the Nike EYBL circuit

Recruit Dooney Johnson takes in the action at Gonzaga’s matchup against Western Oregon at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Erik Smith

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are still putting the finishing touches on the 2026-27 roster, but that hasn't kept them from working hard on the recruiting trail for the class of 2027.

It's been nearly a year since Dooney Johnson committed to Gonzaga, but since then, the 4-star guard has steadily risen up the class rankings - coming in at No. 11 on the latest update from Rivals that was published Tuesday morning.

Johnson is the highest-rated player in the class who has committed, joining his EYBL teammate Kager Knueppel and guard Ryan Hampton as committed top-25 recruits. Knueppel is set to follow in his older brother's footsteps at Duke, while Hampton is committed to Mark Pope at Kentucky.

Updated 2027 Rivals 150 Basketball Rankings🏀

Breakdown via @JamieShaw5: https://t.co/9UUqKWtHgn pic.twitter.com/8QHonLxDGW

— Rivals (@Rivals) September 8, 2026

A breakout summer put Johnson on the map

Johnson performed extremely well this summer, coming off a great junior campaign at Milwaukee Juneau in Wisconsin. Playing for Team Herro on the EYBL circuit, Johnson shined in multiple events - including the Pangos All-America Camp, the NBPA Top 100, and most notably at Peach Jam, where his team fell just short of the championship game.

Johnson was named to the EYBL First Team alongside DeMarcus Henry (No. 2), Beckham Black (No. 4), Cayden Daughtry (No. 8), and Lewis Uvwo (No. 10).

Team Herro Dooney Johnson (1) dribbles during the Florida Rebels and Team Herro semifinal basketball game at the 2026 Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C., on Saturday, July 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In 22 games with Team Herro, Johnson led the team with 14.9 points along with 3.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds, despite playing just 23.6 minutes across 22 games.

A 6-foot-7 guard with plenty of upside

While the 6'7 guard is still finding his outside shot - shooting 26.6% on 5.0 attempts per game - he is a relentless attacker and above-average facilitator for his size, and has all the makings of an elite two-way jumbo initiator at the collegiate level.

Johnson was heavily recruited by Gonzaga assistant coach Zach Norvell, and it's not hard to see the comparisons between Snacks and Johnson - both high-level scorers and big guards who can handle the ball and provide solid defense. Johnson has a ways to go to become the shooter Norvell was, but the upside is certainly there.

Gonzaga still has work to do in the 2027 class

Bremerton’s Jalen Davis (10) reacts as the buzzer sounds and they win the state championship 45-43 over R.A. Long in Yakima on Saturday, March 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Although Johnson is the only commit in the 2027 class right now, Gonzaga remains strongly connected to two other top -50 recruits in Jalen Davis and Gene Roebuck.

Davis, a 6'3 combo guard from Bremerton, WA, came in at No. 18 on Rivals' updated rankings. The high-scoring guard is being pursued by Washington, Stanford, Houston, Oregon, and others, but has remained in contact with the Zag coaching staff throughout the summer.

Roebuck is a 6'4 wing from La Mirada, CA, who Rivals ranked No. 44 after he had a strong summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. Roebuck took an official visit to Spokane last November and is also considering Cal, UCLA, USC, Arizona State, and Mississippi State.

Gonzaga will tip off the 2026-27 season in less than three weeks at Kraziness in the Kennel, set for Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2:00 PM PT.