How Gonzaga’s lineup and rotation are shaping up after transfer portal deadline

The transfer portal is officially closed for men's college basketball, and while the Gonzaga Bulldogs saw a record six players enter, they crucially kept a trio of projected starters heading into the 2026-27 season.

Superstar forward Braden Huff and rising sophomores Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supery will all remain with the Zags next year after foregoing the opportunity to enter the portal. They'll be joined by two redshirt freshmen returners in Parker Jefferson and Alonzo Metz.

Those five players have four known new teammates to date - Houston transfer Isiah Harwell, as well as three incoming freshmen in German guard Jack Kayil, 4-star wing Luca Foster, and 4-star center Sam Funches.

The work is far from over for coach Few and the Zags, who have six roster spots still to fill with crucial holes at center and at shooting guard. Rim protection and outside shooting are two of the team's biggest needs, and addressing those will go a long way toward putting this team in position to win the new-look Pac-12 in 2026-27.

Below is a look at Gonzaga's projected starting lineup, rotation, and known transfer targets now that the window to enter the portal has officially closed:

Projected starting lineup

Center: TBD

This is clearly Gonzaga's biggest priority in the transfer portal. The team had 7'1 Massamba Diop on campus last weekend, and is actively trying to secure a commitment from the former Arizona State star - who is also in the mix at St. John's.

ASU Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) dunks the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on March 3, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gonzaga has also been connected to 7'2 Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and 7'2 Anton Bonke (Charlotte) and could get involved with former recruiting targets Baba Miller (Cincinnati) or Julius Halaifonua (Georgetown) as well.

Forward Braden Huff

Huff returns for his redshirt senior year after stepping into a starting role this past season alongside Graham Ike. The 6'10 big man averaged a career-high 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds before suffering a season-ending knee injury in mid-January.

His health and production will be crucial to Gonzaga's success in 2026-27.

Forward Davis Fogle

Fogle began his freshman season in a limited role, but emerged as a critical offensive weapon for coach Few and the staff down the stretch. His growth was incredibly impressive in year one, and he's expected to be among the bigger breakout candidates in all of college basketball next season.

Guard Jack Kayil

Kayil is not your typical freshman after the 20-year-old played against grown men in Germany as a member of Alba Berlin this past year. The 6'5 guard is a menace getting downhill, can play both guard positions, and has a great chance of starting for Gonzaga right away next season in what would be an all-international backcourt.

Guard Mario Saint-Supery

Saint-Supery joins Huff and Fogle as crucial returners for coach Few. The 6'3 guard got off to a bit of a slow start last year, missing most of the offseason while representing Spain at EuroBasket, but he caught fire down the stretch and looked every bit the part of an elite Gonzaga point guard. Year 2 should be more of the same.

Bench/rotation

Guard Isiah Harwell

Harwell was Gonzaga's first portal addition, a 6'6 wing from Houston whom the Zags pursued very heavily out of high school.

The native of Pocatello, ID, ended up playing a small role for the Coogs last year, in part because he was still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in high school.

Jan 28, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1) controls the ball during the game at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

His length, athleticism, and scoring ability will make him a key part of Gonzaga's team in 2026-27, and he should compete to start at some point during the season.

Forward Parker Jefferson

Jefferson is a 6'9 big man from Texas who joined Gonzaga as a freshman last year, after he decommitted from Minnesota following a coaching change.

Jefferson redshirted last year, but could be in line for a big role right away in Spokane, just like his teammate, Braden Huff, who did exactly that two years ago.

Wing Luca Foster

Foster is a 6'5 4-star recruit in the 2026 class. He is considered one of the best shooters and pure scorers among the incoming freshmen, and he should compete for rotation minutes right away in Spokane - much like Fogle did last year.

Center Sam Funches

Funches is a 7'0 center with a 7'5 wingspan who won Mr. Basketball in the state of Mississippi last year. He'll join the Zags as a bit of a project offensively, but a player who could make a massive impact on this team in due time, thanks to his length and rim protection skills.

Guard Alonzo Metz

Metz joined the Zags last year as a walk-on. The 5'11 guard redshirted - like most walk-ons do - but should see the floor at times this upcoming season.

What's next

Gonzaga has nine players on the roster, with six open spots. In addition to pursuing a starting center, the Zags are in the market for an off-ball guard who can space the floor, with notable targets including Gavin Sykes (Long Beach State), Mason Williams (Iowa State), Jeremiah Johnson (Campbell) and Ethan Copeland (Stetson).

That still leaves four open spots, although it's hard to imagine Gonzaga will fill them all with guys expected to compete for minutes in 2026-27. A new center and shooting guard, along with Huff, Fogle, Saint-Supery, Jefferson, Harwell, Kayil, Funches, and Foster, are ten guys vying for a spot in coach Few's notoriously tight 8-9 man rotation.

Gonzaga will struggle to find players eager to transfer into a program that may not have much, if any, playing time available - meaning the staff will have to get a little creative with these spots.

Perhaps a raw, high-upside international addition - a la Ismaila Diagne or Pavle Stosic - is in the cards? Or a decommitted, or still uncommitted, freshman who is willing to come and either redshirt or play sparingly while they learn the ropes of the college game, like Jefferson did last year? Or both?

The final few spots will likely go to walk-on type players - like the departed Noah Haaland, Cade Orness, and Joaquim ArauzMoore - who can join Metz on the end of the bench, serving a valuable role as practice players and hype men.

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