Gonzaga showing interest in New Hampshire transfer Sami Pissis

French guard earned all-conference honors with Wildcats last season

New Hampshire Wildcats transfer guard Sami Pissis (0) has heard from a handful of schools since entering the transfer portal. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

As the search to fill out Gonzaga's backcourt rotation for the 2025-26 season continues, so does the list of skilled guards who've reportedly been in contact with the Bulldogs since entering the transfer portal.

Sami Pissis, a 6-foot-3 guard from France, is the latest player who's received interest from the Zags, as the New Hampshire transfer has heard from them and a number of power conference and mid-major programs, according to reports.

Pissis averaged 15.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 31 appearances with the Wildcats (8-24) last season, earning All-America East Conference third team honors in the process. Though he shot just 34.9% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range, those inefficiencies could be telling of Pissis' high usage rate, which ranked No. 1 in the America East at 34.9%. For reference, Gonzaga's Graham Ike led the West Coast Conference with a usage rate of 31.9% last season.

Pissis started his career with Southeastern Louisiana, where he played 16 games and averaged 6.8 points in the 2022-23 season before transferring to play Chipola College in the National Junior College Athletic Association. Pissis was ranked one of the top 100 national junior college players in the country, averaging over 12 points and making 18 starts for Chipola in the 2023-24 season.

New Hampshire G Sami Pissis has received interest from the following programs, he tells TPR:

Maryland
Washington St.
Oregon St.
Clemson
Gonzaga
Campbell
Tulsa
San Diego St.
New Mexico
UNLV
Boise State
Murray State
JMU
UNCA
Charlotte
Western Carolina
CSUN
Portland
Delaware… pic.twitter.com/6xLPoh98sl

— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) April 11, 2025

It's no secret the Zags are in need of help in the backcourt with Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Khalif Battle set to graduate this spring. Braeden Smith, a 6-foot-tall redshirt junior in 2025-26, is set to take the point guard reins moving forward, while Emmanuel Innocenti could return for his junior season and provide more defensive versatility along the perimeter.

Offensively, however, the Bulldogs will likely look to add 3-point shooting this offseason after the historically low numbers they put up from behind the arc last season. Pissis, as noted earlier, didn't exactly put up the most efficient numbers from behind the arc last season, though it's still worth noting he knocked down 68 3-point attempts (eighth most in the America East) and his 139 free throw attempts were the third-most free throws in the league. Hickman led the Zags with 77 made 3-pointers last season, followed by Battle (58) and Nembhard (38).