Gonzaga’s pursuit of Xaivian Lee just got more interesting

Lee has emerged as a top target for Mark Few and Gonzaga via the transfer portal

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Xaivian Lee (1) reacts after a play against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs may have gotten one giant step closer to landing their starting point guard for the 2026-27 season.

Xaivian Lee, who spent three years at Princeton and last season at Florida, is among 24 plaintiffs added to the lawsuit filed in California by seniors looking to obtain a fifth year of eligibility. Lee is now part of the same lawsuit as another Gonzaga transfer target, former UCLA guard Donovan Dent, along with former Zag women's basketball guard Ines Bettencourt.

Other notable names added to the lawsuit include former Pacific, Pepperdine, and Arizona State point guard Moe Odum, NC State guard Tre Holloman, BYU big man Keba Keita, St. John's sharpshooter Oziyah Sellers, and former San Diego State, Virginia, and Maryland forward Elijah Saunders.

New plaintiffs have been added to the California eligibility suit, per attorneys @heitner and @TexasTrialGroup: Elijah Saunders, Oziyah Sellers, Moe Odum, Tre Holloman, Takai Simpkins, Keba Keita, Xaivian Lee, Scotty Washington, Chisom Okpara, Iaroslav Niagara, Kimani Hamilton,… https://t.co/6EV5Czuc9H

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) August 12, 2026

What this means for Xaivian Lee

Mar 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Florida Gators guard Xaivian Lee (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lee, like every player in the class of 2022, was granted eligibility by a ruling in Colorado earlier this month. However, that ruling did not grant players permission to transfer unless they had previously put their name in the transfer portal during the open window from April 7-21. Lee, like many others, including Dent, had not done so, meaning he was only eligible to return to Florida.

The NCAA has filed an appeal in the Colorado case as well, hoping to get the ruling reversed to prevent these players from playing in 2026-27. That means any player who is currently only eligible - or only eligible to transfer - thanks to the Colorado suit is in danger of having that eligibility revoked if the NCAA can get a (rare) win on appeal.

However, the state-specific lawsuits - like the ones ruled in favor of student-athletes in Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee - have a far greater chance of sticking and, to date, have all granted plaintiffs immediate eligibility and the opportunity to transfer as they see fit. That is why Gonzaga's two new seniors - Chauncey Wiggins (Georgia) and Javon Bennett (Ohio) - are currently eligible.

The California lawsuit was filed nearly a month ago, and while it has taken a long time for a judgment, most believe it will follow the precedent set in Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee, which would grant Dent, Lee, and the other 60+ named plaintiffs a chance to play this upcoming season wherever they see fit.

On top of all that, Lee also has potential eligibility questions surrounding his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League. Playing in the Summer League is not a deterrent to eligibility on its own - after all, Wiggins played with the Celtics - but if Lee signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Cleveland, the NCAA could use that as a reason to rule him ineligible.

It seems likely that the suit in California would also address this, since Lee is not the only plaintiff with this concern, which could further weaken the NCAA's case to keep him out of college hoops this season.

What it means for Gonzaga

Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA guard Donovan Dent (2) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gonzaga is known to be targeting a point guard for their final open roster spot, even after adding Bennett last week. Lee and Dent have become the most discussed options for Gonzaga, and now both are potentially going to have eligibility protections granted at the same time - if the California lawsuit rules in favor of the plaintiffs.

The Zags can't go wrong with either Dent or Lee at PG, and one of the big separators has been who would be more likely to remain eligible. That question becomes moot with both in the same lawsuit, giving Gonzaga a clearer path to landing one of the two star guards once this court case is (likely) ruled in favor of the student-athletes.

A date for the judge's decision has not been made public, and the addition of 24 plaintiffs could further slow down this process, but overall, this is good news for a Gonzaga team that many feel is one star guard away from becoming a true national championship contender in 2026-27.