Mark Few has some big decisions to make with Gonzaga’s loaded roster

For most of the offseason, Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have barely had enough players to play five-on-five, so no one was all that concerned about the back end of the rotation.

That changed this past week after Gonzaga capitalized on new court rulings that flooded the transfer market with fifth-year seniors, securing commitments from Dayton point guard Javon Bennett and Florida State forward Chauncey Wiggins.

Those two are locks to be part of Gonzaga's projected rotation this upcoming season, potentially pushing the team's latest official addition - St. Francis transfer wing Skylar Wicks - into a competition for minutes in 2026-27.

Coach Few rarely plays more than nine players on a regular basis, and it isn't a shock when his rotation dips to as few as seven players. This year looks to once again have fierce competition for minutes top to bottom - and a handful of still-to-be-determined factors could radically change the rotation.

Among the players currently on Gonzaga's roster, six are mortal locks to play consistent minutes every single game: center Massamba Diop, forward Braden Huff, guard Davis Fogle, guard Isiah Harwell, and the two new transfers, Bennett and Wiggins.

But with one roster spot still to be filled, and a pair of players in eligibility limbo, Gonzaga's final starting lineup and rotation are far from finished. Below is a look at the key factors that will impact how coach Few deploys this roster in 2026-27.

Another point guard?

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gonzaga is widely known to be in pursuit of a top point guard to help replace the departed Mario Saint-Supery. The two most often-discussed targets for the Zags are Donovan Dent (UCLA) and Xaivian Lee (Florida), who would both immediately push this team into national championship contention.

Should the Zags land either of them - or another top guard like Tre Holloman or BJ Edwards - that would push Bennett into a reserve role. It would also create a challenge with Nathan de Sousa, a 23-year-old French guard who is currently awaiting eligibility from the NCAA.

Eligibility limbo

The NCAA's new five-in-five rules mean that international players have five seasons to compete in college athletics, starting the year they turn 19. That means de Sousa should be eligible for one final year in 2026-27, although the NCAA is looking into his professional career in France before clearing him completely.

However, de Sousa may not want to come to Gonzaga as a third-string point guard, which would likely be the case if the team lands Dent, Lee, or another pure PG. de Sousa could end up staying in France or committing elsewhere, which would free up another roster spot for Gonzaga - potentially altering the team's lineup and rotation even further.

de Sousa is one of two Gonzaga commits who are currently in eligibility limbo, with the other being 21-year-old big man Izan Almansa from Spain.

Almansa is a lock to play a significant role for the Zags if the NCAA approves his eligibility, but his case is a tricky one after he played professionally in the NBA G League, the NBL in Australia, and in Spain with Liga Endesa. If he is not eligible, the team will likely look for another fifth-year senior who could fill in as the third big man behind Diop and Huff.

The other option is for Wiggins, who stands 6'10 despite playing primarily on the perimeter, to slot in at the four, which would free up perimeter players like Wicks, Luca Foster, and Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa to play more minutes.

Playing time battle on the wing

Transfer Skylar Wicks (St. Francis)

Dec 1, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Saint Francis Red Flash guard Skylar Wicks (8) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wicks is a 6'6 wing with six years of college hoops experience under his belt, although he's only played 74 games at the Division 1 level. Still, he was among the best scorers in the country last year at St. Francis, finishing second in the NEC in scoring at 17.8 points per game, while shooting 36.6% from three and grabbing 6.7 rebounds and dishing out 2.8 assists.

Wicks brings experience, above-average rebounding, and the ability to play both on and off the ball to Spokane, although his late arrival will make it harder for him to acclimate to this system before the season tips off in November.

Still, he has enough going for him to be a very strong candidate to serve as GU's ninth man and fourth wing behind Fogle, Wiggins, and Harwell.

Freshman Luca Foster

Wicks may be seven years older than Foster, but Foster has the advantage of spending this entire summer in Spokane with the rest of the team and the coaching staff.

A 6'6 wing with a 6'9 wingspan, Foster was a 4-star recruit out of high school thanks to his shooting prowess and overall offensive game. He has looked very good in practices over the summer, and his ability to knock down open threes could be a separator in the battle with Wicks for rotation minutes.

Few typically favor veterans over freshmen, but Foster can absolutely win this role by hitting his shots ... and by playing well on the defensive end of the floor. Wicks was not well regarded defensively last year at St. Francis, and if Foster is better out on the perimeter, he'll almost certainly get the nod over the 26-year-old this upcoming season.

Freshman Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa (France)

The final rotation spot seems likely to come down to one of Wicks or Foster, but 18-year-old French wing Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa is another name to keep an eye on.

Ekanga-Ehawa oozes upside on both ends of the floor, showcasing frenetic energy in transition and getting downhill in half-court sets during his time growing up in JL Bourg's youth system.

His length and athleticism make him an appealing prospect defensively as well, but there's enough rawness still in his profile to keep him far down on the bench this upcoming season. It doesn't help that he has spent very little time in Spokane so far this offseason - thanks in part to representing France at FIBA U19 EuroBasket - so don't be surprised to only see the 6'6 wing on the floor in garbage time in 2026-27.

The battle for the final frontcourt spot

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

Gonzaga has two big men, redshirt freshman Parker Jefferson and 4-star freshman Sam Funches, who will both vie for playing time this upcoming season as well.

The path for both of them gets a lot clearer if Almansa does not get approved to play this season, as it opens up a third big role behind Diop and Huff. The Zags could push Wiggins into that role, likely giving more runway to Wicks and/or Foster on the wing, but Wiggins is a below-average rebounder who is best served out on the perimeter.

Jefferson is a 6'9 power forward who spent last year learning and developing behind Huff and All-American Graham Ike. Meanwhile, Funches is a 7'0 big man with a ton of two-way potential who could find his way onto the floor at backup center if he shows an ability to protect the rim and gobble up rebounds right away.

Ultimately, if Almansa is in the mix, both these guys will be relegated to a limited role in 2026-27. But with Huff's injury history and Almansa's lack of time spent in the system, they will almost certainly get chances to prove they belong in the rotation throughout the year.

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