Gonzaga may have built one of college basketball's best frontcourts

Florida State transfer Chauncey Wiggins gives Mark Few another versatile weapon in an already imposing Gonzaga frontcourt

Dec 22, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Chauncey Wiggins (7). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been in roster-building mode this entire offseason, thanks to multiple surprise departures and the recent court rulings that allow graduated seniors to return to college basketball for a fifth year.

As such, it's been challenging to evaluate just how good this team is capable of being in 2026-27, when they join the new-look Pac-12 alongside San Diego State, Utah State, Boise State, and others.

However, last week the team made two key additions in point guard Javon Bennett (Dayton) and forward Chauncey Wiggins (Florida State) which brings the roster up to 12 total players - and as many as 15 if all three of Real Madrid center Izan Almansa, French point guard Nathan de Sousa, and 26-year-old St. Francis transfer Skylar Wicks are deemed eligible and officially sign with the Zags.

All that to say, there is light at the end of the tunnel - although at least one more addition is likely, with Gonzaga able to go up to 16 thanks to Alonzo Metz's status as a designated student-athlete, meaning he does not count against roster limits.

Gonzaga is expected to use that final spot on a guard, which means the addition of Wiggins likely completes an outstanding frontcourt rotation for the Zags - one that is in contention as the best in the country.

Wiggins' shooting could unlock Gonzaga's frontcourt

Wiggins is a 6'10 forward who had a career year last year with Florida State, coming over after spending his first three seasons at Clemson.

Jan 3, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Chauncey Wiggins (7) celebrates a three-point make during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Donald L. Tucker Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Wiggins adds size to Gonzaga's roster, he is far more comfortable playing away from the rim as a floor-spacing forward - which fits perfectly on a Zags roster that includes returning big man Braden Huff and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop.

Wiggins hit 39% of his nearly six three-point attempts per game last year for the 'Noles, giving Gonzaga desperately needed outside shooting - which will give Huff and Diop more room to operate down around the rim.

Huff comes into his fifth year as the presumed go-to offensive weapon for the Zags, after he averaged 17.8 points on 66.2% shooting in 18 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury in mid-January last year.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34) shoots against Texas Southern on Nov. 3, 2025, at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington. | Photo by Myk Crawford

He is joined by Diop, a 7'1 behemoth who complements Huff's skill set perfectly. Diop averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last year with the Sun Devils, and he'll give the Zags an elite shot blocker and rim runner who has legit NBA draft potential in this system.

Now with Wiggins in the mix, and a solid core of backups that includes 6'9 redshirt freshman Parker Jefferson, 7'0 4-star freshman Sam Funches, and - if eligible - former G-League Ignite star and strong rebounder Izan Almansa, Gonzaga should terrorize Pac-12 opponents in the frontcourt this upcoming season.

Gonzaga's frontcourt stacks up with the nation's best

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few looks on against Southern Utah on Nov. 17, 2025, at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Diop, Huff, and Wiggins are expected to start in Gonzaga's frontcourt, shifting 6'7 wing Davis Fogle down to the two with Houston transfer Isiah Harwell sliding to the bench. With those three in the starting five, and Almansa, Jefferson, and Funches fighting for rotation minutes, Gonzaga has a real case as one of the best frontcourts in the country.

It will be hard for anyone to unseat the Florida Gators for the top spot after coach Todd Golden managed to keep his big three of Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon, and Thomas Haugh together for a third year in a row. The trio won a national championship two years ago and will look to get back to the Final Four in 2027, running it back with nearly the same squad.

Mar 3, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden celebrates his 100th win with center Viktor Mikic (12), center Rueben Chinyelu (9), center Micah Handlogten (3), forward Alex Condon (21) and forward Thomas Haugh (10) after the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Other teams that have a strong argument for the best frontcourt in college hoops include Texas (Matas Vokietaitis, David Punch, Marcus Spears Jr), Duke (Patrick Ngongba, Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, and Cam Williams) and Louisville (Flory Bidunga, Obinna Ekezie, and Alvaro Folgueiras), but Gonzaga is at least in the mix with those teams, if not at the top of the pack.

With Fogle, Harwell, and Bennett all primed for big roles in the backcourt, the Zags have a roster plenty capable of making a run to the Final Four. A final addition like Donovan Dent or Xaivian Lee could be what pushes this team over the top and into legitimate national championship contention.