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Gonzaga announces signing of German guard Jack Kayil

Kayil joins Sam Funches and Luca Foster in Gonzaga's 2026 recruiting class
Andy Patton|
Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few.
Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Myk Crawford

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Gonzaga Bulldogs

Mark Few announced the signing of 6'5 guard Jack Kayil on Wednesday, securing the third member of the Gonzaga Bulldogs' highly regarded 2026 recruiting class.

Kayil joins 6'5 wing Luca Foster and 7'0 center Sam Funches in Gonzaga's 2026 class, which was recently ranked as the 15th best class in college basketball by ESPN.

Kayil was actually the first recruit from this class to commit to Gonzaga, doing so back on Oct. 1. The 6'5 Berlin native was considered among the top international guards pursuing a spot in college basketball, and he plans to keep his options open with regard to the 2026 NBA draft as well.

The 4-star guard starred at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, averaging 11.1 points and 6.6 assists across seven games while helping to lead Germany to a silver medal. Kayil recorded 13 points and five assists in the gold medal game against a loaded Team USA that featured BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, 2026 top recruit Tyran Stokes, Washington point guard JJ Mandaquit, and Louisville point guard Mikel Brown.

Kayil is playing for Alba Berlin in Germany's Bundesliga Basketball League this season, alongside former Portland and Washington forward Moses Wood, former Houston forward J'Wan Roberts, and former USC guard Boogie Ellis.

Through six games, Kayil is averaging 10.2 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 40% from three in 19 minutes per game.

Last year, as an 18-year-old for KK Mega Basket in Serbia, Kayil averaged 7.7 points, 2.8 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 35.4% from three and 88.2% from the free throw line.

Gonzaga has a rich history of bringing international talent stateside, and Kayil could end up teaming up with another European guard in Spokane in Mario Saint-Supery, who is off to an outstanding start to his freshman season. Saint-Supery is averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 steals in 20 minutes per game for the Zags, drawing his first career start on Monday in Gonzaga's 72-point win over Southern Utah.

Kayil, Foster, and Funches will join Gonzaga ahead of the 2026-27 season, where they will mark the program's first recruiting class as members of the Pac-12 conference. The trio will also be counted on to replace a significant number of out-of-eligibility players on the current roster - including Graham Ike, Tyon Grant-Foster, Jalen Warley, and Adam Miller.

Gonzaga has already made moves in the 2027 recruiting class as well, landing a commitment from top 20 recruit Dooney Johnson and hosting 4-star forward Gene Roebuck on an official visit back in early November.

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Andy Patton
ANDY PATTON

Andy Patton is a diehard Gonzaga fan and alumnus who has covered the Bulldogs extensively since 2021. He hosts the Locked On Zags podcast and co-hosts the Locked On College Basketball podcast, bringing years of experience covering Gonzaga, the West Coast and college basketball nationally. Andy also covers the Arizona Wildcats for Arizona Wildcats On SI, where his longtime familiarity with former Gonzaga assistant and current Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd provides a natural connection between two of college basketball’s premier programs. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. A 2013 Gonzaga graduate, Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.

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