How Gonzaga's lineup could change after adding Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs made an international splash on Sunday, securing a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa.

Ekanga-Ehawa has been a star in France's youth leagues and has seen his stock rise over the past few months. He joins a Gonzaga roster that had virtually zero depth in the backcourt behind returners Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle, and transfer Isiah Harwell.

How big of a role Ekanga-Ehawa plays as a freshman will depend on who else Gonzaga adds with their three open roster spots, but he is likely more of a developmental piece at least in the short term.

He joins walk-on Carter Nilson as one of two additions to GU's roster in June, with potentially more to come as the staff tries to get things finalized before summer workouts next month.

Here is a look at Gonzaga's projected starting lineup and updated rotation following the team's addition of Ekanga-Ehawa:

Projected starting lineup

Center Massamba Diop

Diop is far and away the program's biggest addition of the offseason. A 7'1 behemoth who starred at Arizona State last season, Diop is arguably the perfect fit next to Braden Huff in Gonzaga's frontcourt.

The Real Madrid alum blocked 69 shots last year for the Sun Devils and gives Gonzaga its best rim protector since Chet Holmgren back in 2022.

Forward Braden Huff

Huff has steadily improved every season he's been at Gonzaga, culminating in an outstanding junior year where he averaged 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds before going down with a knee injury after 18 games.

The 6'10 big man will be the focal point of Gonzaga's offense in 2026-27 and has All-American and Pac-12 First Team written all over him.

Forward Davis Fogle

Fogle is one of the most obvious sophomore breakout candidates in all of college basketball, coming off a freshman year where he shone right away as a scorer while making massive strides in his defense, playmaking, and overall basketball IQ.

Now he's set to start every game and could easily be the team's second leading scorer thanks to his confidence getting to the rim, a developing mid-range and outside shot, and willingness to get out in transition and throw down.

Guard Isiah Harwell

Harwell initially looked ticketed for a sixth man role at Gonzaga - similar to his role at Houston as a freshman - but the surprise decision by Jack Kayil to stay in the NBA draft process has cleared a path for the 6'6 sophomore to start right away in Spokane.

A former McDonald's All-American, Harwell has the tools to be an elite two-way wing, and it would not be a surprise to see him have a stellar breakout campaign in a far different offensive setting at GU.

Guard Mario Saint-Supery

The fourth sophomore starter in Gonzaga's projected starting five is Saint-Supery, a 6'3 PG who took over this squad in the middle of last season after he got his bearings straight following a shortened offseason thanks to time spent at EuroBasket representing Spain.

An elite three-point shooter and facilitator, Saint-Supery's improvement in the pick-and-roll and as a finisher could vault him into All-Conference territory and even the 2027 NBA draft conversation.

Bench/rotation

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Parker Jefferson (32). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Forward Izan Almansa

Almansa is a 21-year-old big man from Spain who spent time with the G League Ignite, the Perth Wildcats, and, most recently, Real Madrid. Assuming he is granted eligibility by the NCAA, Almansa will give Gonzaga something they are sorely missing in the frontcourt - rebounding.

Forward Parker Jefferson

Jefferson redshirted at Gonzaga last year as a late addition in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6'9 big man projects as GU's fourth big behind Diop, Huff, and Almansa, but his development last season could be a big storyline to follow in 2026-27.

Wing Luca Foster

Foster is a 4-star wing in the 2026 class who ranks No. 50 at 247Sports. Standing 6'5 with a 6'9 wingspan, Foster has significant upside as a three-level scorer and defender - and could play a big role right away in Spokane considering the team's current lack of backcourt depth.

Guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa

Ekanga-Ehawa comes to Gonzaga from JL Bourg, where he was one of the best teenage hoopers in all of France. While the 18-year-old is a bit more of a project, his development could happen rapidly and force the Zags into playing him real minutes right away in 2026-27.

Center Sam Funches

Funches was a longtime target of Gonzaga's who finally committed last October. The 7'0 big man is a perfect Gonzaga-style center, and he should develop nicely behind the scenes in year one before taking on a progressively bigger role over the next few seasons.

Guard Alonzo Metz

Metz is a 5'11 guard who played at Jesuit High School in Oregon and walked on to Gonzaga's roster this past season. He redshirted last year but should get end of game minutes this season.

Wing Carter Nilson

Nilson is the son of former WCC Defensive Player of the Year and Zag legend Mike Nilson. Carter played at Gonzaga Prep and at 6'5 offers a bit more size than your typical walk-on caliber player, making him a name to watch this season.

What's ext

Gonzaga has now filled 12 of their 15 roster spots here in mid-June, with eyes on a handful of international players, including Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica and guard Savo Drezgic.

The Zags really need more three-point shooting and a capable backup point guard behind Saint-Supery, and with options dwindling in the transfer portal, it makes sense to look overseas to finalize the first roster for Gonzaga in the new-look Pac-12.

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