Gonzaga showing interest in 2027 top 25 recruit from Arizona

Gonzaga visited with small forward Demarcus Henry on Friday

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The start of September has been a very busy month for the Gonzaga coaching staff. On Friday alone, the Zags visited with three different recruits in the 2027 class, sending assistant coach Zach Norvell out to Milwaukee to see 4-star guard Dooney Johnson and watching a pair of top 25 recruits from Arizona in Darius Wabbington and Demarcus Henry.

Henry is the highest-ranked of the trio, coming in at No. 22 in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports' updated class rankings. The 6'6 wing is set to play for Compass Prep High School in Chandler, AZ this year — the same high school where Gonzaga freshman Davis Fogle played last year, after beginning his high school career in Anacortes, WA. Henry played last year at Mater Dei, however, so he was not teammates with Fogle.

Gonzaga was reportedly in town to see Henry alongside Louisville, who are both joining USC, Utah, and Ohio State in visiting the small forward this week. Henry already has five scholarship offers, coming from Oregon, Washington, UNLV, Cincinnati, and Ohio State.

Henry has significant familial connections to the Buckeyes. His older brother, Chris Henry Jr, is committed to play wide receiver at Ohio State in 2026, while his sister Seini just redshirted for the Ohio State women's basketball team last year.

Chris, Seini, and Demarcus are all children of the late Chris Henry, an NFL wide receiver who died in 2009 at age 26 after falling out of a moving truck during a domestic dispute with his fiancée. He was the first case where an active player could be diagnosed with CTE, since it can only be definitively diagnosed during an autopsy.

While Henry played his college ball at West Virginia, two of his kids already made commitments to Ohio State — and the Buckeyes will certainly hope to bring Demarcus into the mix as well.

Henry starred for Team Why Not on the Nike EYBL 16U circuit this summer, averaging 11.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 31% from three. He has been praised for his fluidity, athleticism, and good-looking shot form, which has many believing his catch-and-shoot skills will improve in time.

Gonzaga has five visits lined up over the next two months with recruits in the 2026 class, but has remained very active in pursuing 2027 recruits as well. In addition to Henry, Johnson, and Wabbington, the Zags have also offered scholarships to 4-star guards Jalen Davis of Bremerton, WA and Gene Roebuck III from La Mirada, CA.