Gonzaga makes top four for former Iowa guard Tavion Banks after eligibility ruling

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have already landed two star players from the 5-in-5 eligibility rulings, but they aren't done yet.

Even as the team circles a potential starting point guard - with Xaivian Lee and Donovan Dent thought to be the top targets - Gonzaga remains on the hunt for more perimeter scoring to bolster this program heading into the new-look Pac-12.

The hunt has led them to Tavion Banks, a high-level scorer from Iowa who listed Gonzaga as one of four schools on his shortlist, alongside a trio of SEC programs in LSU, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma.

Who is Tavion Banks?

Banks is a 6'7 guard from Kansas City, MO, who began his career at the JuCo level, where he starred at Northwest Florida State College for two seasons. He then ended up at Drake in the Missouri Valley, where he averaged 10.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 20.1 minutes per game, shooting 56.8% on two-pointers but just 2-22 (9.1%) from three.

After receiving his injunction on Friday, Iowa transfer Tavion Banks is focused on a short list of schools, source tells @247sports

- Gonzaga
- LSU
- Mississippi State
- Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/MUKmQAcHz4
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) August 17, 2026

Banks then followed coach Ben McCollum to Iowa in the Big Ten, and even with the rise in competition, his performance improved. Starting 35 of 37 games, Banks played 23.3 minutes and averaged 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 53.7% on twos and a massively improved 44.2% (19-43) from beyond the arc, although it was a relatively small sample size of 1.2 attempts per game.

Banks scaled up extremely well, often putting together his best performances on the road against top-tier opponents. That included a 14-point performance on 2-2 shooting from three at Iowa's rival Iowa State, nine points on perfect 3-3 shooting from three at Purdue, and an explosive 26-point, eight-rebound, two-assist game at Indiana where he shot 8-12 from the floor, 1-2 from three, and 9-9 from the free-throw line.

The 6'7 guard was also critical in No. 9 seed Iowa's massive upset win over No. 1 Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, dropping 20 points with six rebounds on 7-10 shooting to down the Gators and send the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16.

What Banks could bring to Gonzaga

Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Tavion Banks (6) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gonzaga's biggest remaining need is a point guard, but Banks would immediately bolster the team's wing depth - giving them a proven scorer with great size and rebounding on the perimeter.

Though he's not a point guard, Banks would allow Davis Fogle to put in more reps on the ball while giving Gonzaga another proven off-ball weapon who can get downhill, plays strong defense, and who showed a vastly improved outside shot last year that - if it sticks - would tremendously help this squad space the floor next season.

Gonzaga currently has just one open roster spot, but with two players in eligibility limbo, 23-year-old French guard Nathan de Sousa and 21-year-old Real Madrid center Izan Almansa, there is room to make an addition here and still land one of Dent or Lee.

It would likely push de Sousa out the door, but the bonus of getting another experienced, big, physical wing with scoring chops is well worth it as this program looks to get back to national championship contention in 2027.

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