Projected Gonzaga starter Jack Kayil expected to stay in NBA draft

Mark Few's team dealt a brutal blow with Kayil's surprise decision to forego college basketball

Gonzaga Bulldogs assistant coach Brian Michaelson (left) and head coach Mark Few (right). | Photo by Myk Crawford

In a massive blow for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs, German guard Jack Kayil will stay in the 2026 NBA draft rather than joining the Zags for the 2026-27 season, according to a report from Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.

Kayil was projected as Gonzaga's starting shooting guard coming off an outstanding season with Alba Berlin in Germany, where he won the league's Under-22 Player of the Year award.

While most current NBA mock drafts and big boards don't have Kayil as a first round pick - or in some cases picked at all - Givony reports that Kayil is getting first round feedback from NBA scouts which has led him to go all-in on the draft.

As an international player, Kayil has until June 13 to change his mind and withdraw from the NBA draft, but making this decision public will likely result in Gonzaga looking to replace him on the roster either way.

NEWS: Gonzaga-commit Jack Kayil is staying in the 2026 NBA Draft, agents Kevin Bradbury and Milan Nikolic tell DraftExpress.

The 6'5, 20-year-old point guard is receiving first-round feedback off an outstanding season in Germany with Alba Berlin.

Tough break for Mark Few. pic.twitter.com/AdefhKEIk7

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2026

Kayil was invited to the NBA draft combine, taking place May 10-17 in Chicago, but did not attend while his team, Alba Berlin, competes in The Bundesliga playoffs.

However, that did not stop the 6'5 guard from getting enough feedback from NBA scouts to opt to forego the change to play alongside Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle for Gonzaga in the new look Pac-12.

Harwell Time

Kayil suddenly not being part of the picture for Gonzaga is a brutal blow, as it thins out an already limited backcourt rotation heading into next season.

Houston transfer Isiah Harwell now becomes a crucial piece for the Zags, as he is the projected starter next to Saint-Supery coming off a rough freshman year for the Coogs where he averaged 3.6 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 29.5% on twos and 27.1% from three.

However, Harwell was a McDonald's All-American and top 15 recruit in the 2025 class who spent the end of his senior year and his first collegiate season dealing with an ACL injury, which he is now fully recovered from. He even tossed his name in the NBA draft picture as well, securing an invite to the G League combine before withdrawing and preparing to return to college to play for GU.

It would not be a surprise to see the 6'6 guard with a 6'9 wingspan blossom in his second college season, which Gonzaga now needs from him if they want to remain a national championship contender.

What's Next?

Kayil's departure means Gonzaga now has five open roster spots, and at least two will go to guards who can compete for rotation minutes.

Saint-Supery and Harwell are the only two locks for spots at the one and the two, with both Fogle and freshman Luca Foster expected to fill roles at small forward.

As such, expect Gonzaga to further their pursuit of guards in the transfer portal, with a pair of known current targets in Stetson's Ethan Copeland and Campbell's Jeremiah Johnson.

Copeland shot 42.9% from three on 109 makes last year for the Hatters, making him a desperately needed floor spacer, while Johnson averaged 15.2 points and shot 37.4% from three for the Camels.

Other potential options for Gonzaga in the transfer portal include Tennessee Rainwater (Le Moyne), Mihailo Petrovic (Illinois), Vyctorius Miller (Oklahoma State), Paul Djobet (Omaha), Hamad Mousa (Cal Poly), and Lucas Mari (Vermont) who will play for assistant coach Jorge Sanz at the Spanish training camp later this week.

Gonzaga could also dip back into the international market, like they did last year with Saint-Supery and earlier this week with Izan Almansa, although many of the better targets overseas have already committed stateside.

Still, Gonzaga may have better luck across the pond, or even taking a look at the G League route to find someone who can step into a big role right away as this team looks to compete in the new look Pac-12.