Gonzaga star Braden Huff snubbed from top 50 returners list

Huff averaged nearly 18 points per game last year before his injury

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34). | Photo by Mercedes Smith

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have prioritized retention throughout college basketball's transfer portal era, working hard to keep the best players in Spokane as long as possible.

This offseason was once again a rousing success in that area. While the Zags did lose five players to the transfer portal, they ensured three potential All-Conference stars - Braden Huff, Davis Fogle, and Mario Saint-Supery - all returned for the 2026-27 season.

While Fogle and Saint-Supery are two of the biggest sophomore breakout candidates in the country, Huff is the true star - and it's not unreasonable to think he could push for 20 points per game and All-American honors for the Zags in the Pac-12 this year.

That makes him easily among the best returning players in the country - although the folks at The Field of 68 seem to disagree.

The media outlet ranked the top 50 returning players in college basketball - only counting players who are returning to their same team - and somehow Huff was excluded from the list entirely.

While there is no doubt a ton of outstanding talent staying in college basketball - including Florida's frontcourt trio of Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu - there is simply no way Huff is not among the top 50, or frankly top 25, best returners in the sport.

Huff's Impact

Huff jumped into a full-time starting role for Gonzaga last year alongside All-American Graham Ike. Huff was insanely efficient as a scorer, averaging a career-high 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 69.7% on two-pointers and 33.3% from three.

He scored in double figures in 17 of the 18 games he played, including a monster 37-point, eight-rebound game on 16-18 shooting against Campbell and 28 points on 11-14 in an overtime win against SeattleU.

However, Huff suffered a knee injury before GU's game against Washington State in Pullman, and it ended up costing him the rest of the campaign. His absence was felt all over Gonzaga's roster, with Ike forced to shoulder a massive offensive load, which helped him earn Third Team AA honors as well as WCC Player of the Year.

Huff was nearing a return when the season ended in March, and now he's primed to take over as Gonzaga's go-to guy next season, alongside transfer center Massamba Diop in coach Few's frontcourt.

The idea that guys like Ilias Kamardine (11.3 points, 42.1% at Ole Miss), Derrion Reid (11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds at Oklahoma) and Amare Bynum (9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds at Ohio State) are better than Huff is patently absurd, and will make this list look silly nine months from now - if not sooner.