Gonzaga signee Sam Funches named Mr. Basketball in Mississippi

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are heading into the Pac-12 with a three-man recruiting class in 2026 that is widely considered among the best in the sport.

While most of the attention has gone to 20-year-old German guard Jack Kayil and 6'5 top 40 prospect Luca Foster, there is plenty of excitement among Gonzaga staffers around 7'0 4-star center Sam Funches.

Funches was recently named Mr. Basketball in the state of Mississippi, in the midst of a fantastic senior season at Germantown. The big man - who is ranked No. 89 in the 2026 class at 247Sports - led Germantown to a state championship in 2025 and is currently in the Sweet 16 of the MHSAA State Tournament this week, hosting Horn Lake High School on Saturday.

Funches becomes the first Mr. Basketball in Germantown history and the second overall winner following Madison Booker, who is currently a junior at Texas and has already been named an All-American twice with the Longhorns.

Funches was heavily pursued by Gonzaga on the recruiting trail, with a scheduled visit last February that fell through because Funches and his Germantown team were still participating in the State Tournament. He ultimately visited in October for Kraziness in the Kennel and committed to the Zags about a week later, picking Gonzaga over offers from Kansas, Alabama, Michigan, Auburn, and in-state SEC programs Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Recruit Sam Funches shares a moment with Gonzaga assistant coach Rjay Barsh during his visit to Kraziness in the Kennel at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Mercedes Smith

"They just tell me how we basically fit together," Funches told Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI about assistant coaches Rjay Barsh and Brian Michaelson. "I'm a puzzle piece and they're the puzzle and it's like a perfect fit, because my play style is like the exact play style of them."

The big man boasts a 7'5 wingspan, and his length and mobility make him a projectable high-level shot blocker at the next level - something Gonzaga has lacked since Chet Holmgren's departure in 2022.

While Funches likely needs some development time before stepping into a significant role, that works well with Gonzaga's roster construction. Graham Ike will be gone after this season, but the Zags are projected to return Braden Huff, Ismaila Diagne, and redshirt Parker Jefferson for 2026-27, and could make an addition via the transfer portal as well.

Gonzaga's 2026 recruiting class - Kayil, Funches, and Foster - is among the highest rated in program history, and was No. 15 in ESPN's November rankings of the best classes in college basketball.

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

Add us as a preferred source on Google