Gonzaga's roster is not only exceptionally talented, but well balanced

Balance is the name of the game for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Sure, this team has been one of the most efficient and high-scoring offenses in the country year in and year out, but the best versions of Gonzaga basketball have also had tough-nosed, physical defenders at the point of attack and down on the block.

This year's team should be no different. Graham Ike and Braden Huff are both elite, efficient low-post scorers, while Tyon Grant-Foster is a bucket with the ball in his hands, Braeden Smith is an outstanding playmaker, and Adam Miller and Steele Venters are marksmen from deep.

In fact, a look at the player projections for this upcoming season on EvanMiya.com gives a solid picture of how diverse this Gonzaga roster truly is — and what this group's upside could end up being.

Each player in college basketball is given skill projections for every major category, based on previous performance, size, high school ratings, and many other factors.

Below is a look at Gonzaga's nine CBB returners, what each of their top projected skill is, and how it will be utilized by coach Few this upcoming season.

Graham Ike, Scoring Volume (100th percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Ike is one of the highest-ranked players in all of college basketball, coming in at No. 14 overall. He's in the 99th percentile for rebounding, 95th percentile for two-point scoring, and 88th percentile for free throws, but scoring volume is his number one trait, coming in the 100th percentile.

That's not exactly a surprise. Ike averaged 17.3 points in just 22.9 minutes per game last year for the Zags, which put him at 30.2 points per 40 minutes — among the top marks in all of college basketball. Ike didn't just feast on inferior WCC opponents either; he had 23 points in 20 minutes at San Diego State, 24 points in 31 minutes against UCLA, and 28 points in 35 minutes against Kentucky.

This year, the senior will likely have an even bigger role with less depth in the frontcourt, and could eclipse 20 points per game if he is able to play over 25 minutes a night.

Braden Huff, Scoring Volume (99th Percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Also, not much of a surprise, as Huff and Ike were two of the most productive scorers on a per-minute basis in all of college basketball last year. Huff averaged 11 points in just 16.7 minutes per game in 2024-25, good for 26.5 points per 40.

The duo will compete alongside each other far more this upcoming season, following the departures of Ben Gregg and Michael Ajayi, which will create mismatches for opposing defenses all year long.

Tyon Grant-Foster, Steals (98th Percentile)

Former GCU guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7), now with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Grant-Foster is also in the 98th percentile in scoring volume, although that will likely come down in an offense where he is not expected to shoulder as big a load due to the presence of Ike and Huff.

Grant-Foster averaged 1.7 steals per game each of the past two seasons at Grand Canyon, and his 45 steals last year would have been second on the Zags behind Ryan Nembhard — even though Grant-Foster only played 26 games.

TGF's 6'7 frame makes him a dynamic weapon on both sides of the ball, and assuming his waiver goes through, he will be a crucial part of Mark Few's club this season.

Adam Miller, Three Point Shooting (86th Percentile)

Arizona State Sun Devils guard Adam Miller (44), now with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. | James Snook-Imagn Images

Miller is here at Gonzaga to fill a very valuable role as a floor spacing two guard, much like the role Nolan Hickman held in Spokane the past two years. Miller shot 42.9% from three last year on 4.4 attempts per game at Arizona State, and while that's far and away the best mark of his career, it seems plausible he'll be around that mark again with so much gravity being taken up by Ike, Huff, and Grant-Foster.

Braeden Smith, Playmaking (99th Percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Braeden Smith. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Smith is in the 99th percentile in both playmaking and assists, lining him up perfectly to fill the gargantuan hole left by Nembhard's departure. Smith led the Patriot League with 5.6 assists per game in 2023-24, and while his assist rate of 35.5% falls short of Nembhard's 41.5% last year, it's quite clear he's on track to fill in seamlessly at the one for Gonzaga.

Ismaila Diagne, Defensive Impact (99th Percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs center Ismaila Diagne. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Diagne only played 66 minutes last year for Gonzaga, but his impact was felt significantly on the defensive end of the floor — particularly in the 18 minutes he played against Santa Clara on the road.

Diagne should fill a much bigger role as GU's third big this season, and assuming he stays healthy, he'll showcase excellent rim protection for a roster that desperately needs it.

Emmanuel Innocenti, Defensive Impact (98th Percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Emmanuel Innocenti. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Innocenti is not much of a scorer — and he probably never will be — but he's an outstanding on-ball defender with versatility to guard 1-4. Coach Few deployed him against many of the best players Gonzaga faced last year — like Otega Oweh at Kentucky, Moe Odum at Pepperdine, and Malik Thomas at San Francisco — with good results across the board.

The 6'5 wing should play a valuable bench role for Gonzaga again this year.

Steele Venters, Three Point Shooting (99th Percentile)

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Steele Venters. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

No surprise here, as Steele Venters was recruited to join this team two years ago to do one thing: drill outside shots. The 6'7 wing shot 40.3% from three on 437 attempts across three seasons at Eastern Washington, and in Gonzaga's extremely talented offense, it wouldn't be a shock to see him over 45% with the amount of open looks he projects to get on the perimeter.

Jalen Warley, Steals (78th Percentile)

Florida State Seminoles guard Jalen Warley (1), now with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Warley started 58 out of 96 games in three seasons at Florida State, and while he's not much of a scorer (career 6.0 points per game), he is a well-above-average defender who generated 1.3 steals per game — or 2.1 steals per 40 minutes.

He'll likely handle a jack of all trades role for the Zags, playing 1-4 offensively and defensively while using his length and experience to be disruptive on defense.

Gonzaga's trio of freshmen — Mario Saint-Supery, Davis Fogle, and Parker Jefferson — doesn't have enough data for EvanMiya to spit out accurate skill projections. Of the three, only Saint-Supery projects to play a big role for the Zags, potentially in a hybrid role on and off the ball as he familiarizes himself with the college game and Gonzaga's system after spending much of the offseason overseas with Spain's national team at EuroBasket.