Gonzaga loses 4-star recruit Gene Roebuck to ACC program

The highly touted California wing chose a different destination despite a recent visit to Spokane, leaving Mark Few and the Bulldogs with one commitment in their 2027 recruiting class

Gonzaga 2027 commit Gene Roebuck watches the action during Kraziness in the Kennel at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash., on Oct. 3, 2026. | Photo by Myk Crawford

The Gonzaga Bulldogs came up empty after a lengthy pursuit of 4-star guard Gene Roebuck, who announced his commitment to the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday - one week after his official visit in Spokane for Kraziness in the Kennel.

Roebuck picked Cal over Gonzaga and Washington, two schools he visited this past month, as well as TCU, USC, UCLA, Baylor, Mississippi State, and others.

The Zags still have just one player committed in the 2027 class in 5-star guard Dooney Johnson, who committed to the program almost exactly one year ago.

Gene Roebuck's recruiting rankings and scouting profile

Roebuck is a 6'5 wing from La Mirada, CA, who currently ranks No. 44 in the 2027 class at Rivals, No. 46 at 247Sports, and No. 71 at ESPN.

Gonzaga 2027 commit Gene Roebuck watches the action during Kraziness in the Kennel at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash., on Oct. 3, 2026. | Photo by Myk Crawford

He has long been among the highest-ranked players in the state of California, and he really turned heads this summer while suiting up for Dream Vision on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, where he averaged 19.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 17 games played, while drilling an outstanding 42.5% of his three-point attempts.

Scoring is clearly the calling card for Roebuck, who still needs to develop more playmaking skills and proven work on the defensive end of the floor. But the outside shooting and ability to bully his way to the rim make him an enticing prospect - and someone who could develop into a really, really good college player.

What this means for Gonzaga's 2027 recruiting class

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

Gonzaga really narrowed in on three players in the 2027 class: Johnson, Roebuck, and 5-star combo guard Jalen Davis.

With Roebuck no longer in the picture, attention turns to Davis, a 6'3 combo guard from Bremerton, WA, who is set to visit Spokane on Nov. 7 for the team's home opener against New Mexico State.

Davis ranks No. 13 in the class at 247, No. 18 at Rivals, and No. 21 at ESPN, and would be another massive get for the Zags in the state of Washington - following in the footsteps of Davis Fogle, Corey Kispert, and many others before him. A miss here, however, would put Gonzaga in a difficult spot, relying heavily on transfers or international additions to fill out the 2027-28 roster.

The good news is Johnson, who is up to No. 11 in the 2027 class at Rivals, is coming off an outstanding summer with Team Herro, where he earned Nike EYBL First Team honors. At 6'7, Johnson is an elite wing creator and scorer who has matured in all facets of his game and looks like a future superstar in Spokane.