Gonzaga receives interesting offseason grade from college basketball analyst

The Field of 68's Rob Dauster reviewed Gonzaga's offseason in a podcast episode

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few and his staff brought in two transfers this offseason in Adam Miller (Arizona State) and Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon). | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

At this stage of the college basketball offseason, most preseason rankings from national media outlets and personnel have Gonzaga slotted somewhere in the top-15 to top-20 range.

Rob Dauster is among the analysts projecting the Bulldogs to be in the first top 25 poll of the 2025-26 campaign, but before he puts Gonzaga in the national championship conversation, the founder of the Field of 68 has some questions regarding the Zags' roster construction.

While overviewing Mark Few and his coaching staff's offseason moves in a Field of 68 podcast episode, Dauster highlighted Gonzaga's returning players but wasn't sure how the incoming transfer portal class will fit around them — specifically in regard to 3-point shooting, a department the Zags struggled with all throughout last season.

"My biggest question is, how does it work with Jalen Warley and Tyon Grant-Foster?" Dauster said. "I just don't know how those two work when you don't have the shooting. Neither of them are shooters. Where does the floor spacing come from? How are you going to be able to get post touches for Graham Ike?"

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7) drives the ball during the first half against Maryland Terrapins at Climate Pledge Arena. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Warley, who was a midseason acquisition for the Bulldogs, and Grant-Foster, formerly at Grand Canyon, figure to play impactful roles out of the gate for their new team and could even play alongside each other in certain lineups given their respective skillsets. However, to Dauster's point, neither has exactly proven themself as a serious threat from outside the arc. Warley shot 28% from 3-point range during his three seasons with Florida State, while Grant-Foster also converted 28% of his attempts from deep during his stints with Kansas, DePaul and Grand Canyon.

Gonzaga, which posted the worst 3-point field goal percentage in the Few era last season (35.4%), went into the offseason in need of more outside shooting after its top five players in 3-pointers made departed via the portal or graduation, including its entire starting backcourt of Nolan Hickman, Ryan Nembhard and Khalif Battle.

Signing Arizona State transfer Adam Miller, a 6-foot-3 guard who made 42.9% of his 3-pointers in 2024-25, could prove to be a big-time acquisition. That is, if the sixth-year veteran is just as consistent with the Zags as he was with the Sun Devils, and not the 32% outside shooter he was prior to last season.

Jan 28, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Adam Miller (44) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

"There's a lot of what-ifs there," Dauster said in regard to Gonzaga's roster. "But if it all hits, they have the pieces there to go get wherever they want to be."

Dauster expressed optimism regarding Braeden Smith's assimilation, noting how the Colgate transfer should be able to step in and contribute right away after absorbing everything he could during his first year with the team as a redshirt player. But like the other newcomers putting a Gonzaga uniform for the first time, Dauster pointed out the unknowns surrounding Smith's game and how it'll translate against high-major competition.

"You are taking some gambles here," Dauster said. "You're taking some gambles on Jalen Warley, you're taking some gambles on Braeden Smith. Going from playing in the Patriot League to playing at the highest level of college basketball is a big leap. I think he can do it, but that is a big leap to make."

Oct 5, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Braeden Smith (3) looks on during the three-point contest during Kraziness at the Kennel at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | James Snook-Imagn Images

"You're betting on Tyon Grant-Foster being the guy who he was two years ago. That's a leap of faith. Steele Venters — I'll just be honest, after two years off with a torn ACL and torn Achilles — I'd be shocked if he's the same player. I want him to be, I'm rooting for him, but I'd be shocked."

Dauster explained his skepticism was derived from the lofty expectations Gonzaga has set for itself over the past decade, highlighting the Bulldogs' streak of top-12 finishes on KenPom.com (nine) and their success in the NCAA Tournament to illustrate why an analyst like himself might have reservations about this specific group.

"We're allowed to, when you head into a season as more of like a top-15, top-20ish team, say 'Yeah, this isn't your typical Gonzaga team.' Dauster said. "They're still going to be good, but this isn't like a Chet Holmgren or Jalen Suggs kind of a group."

After examining the Zags' acquisitions and departures that occurred over the past few months, Dauster gave Gonzaga's offseason a "B+" grade. For all the cynicism he expressed during the 19-minute-long podcast, Dauster capped the show off with a glass-half-full outlook on the Zags.

"Mark Few is just gonna find a way to get it done," Dauster said. "And I'll tell you this: He's got a point guard, he's got a five-man and he's got talent on the wings. I don't know if it's necessarily the ideal structure for how he would want to build a roster. But he's got guys [who] are 26 years old and good enough to be pros. I'm in on this Gonzaga team."

"Considering what they lost, I think that they are a top-15/top-20 kind of team in college basketball. I don't know how much more you ask when you lose what they lost."