Ranking Gonzaga's 11 newcomers by projected impact in 2026-27

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs overhauled nearly the entire roster that went 31-4 last year before losing to No. 11 seed Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Only four players - senior Braden Huff and sophomores Davis Fogle, Parker Jefferson, and walk-on Alonzo Metz - are back in the mix for 2026-27, while the staff has worked relentlessly over the last few months to bring 11 newcomers to Spokane.

Of course, the work isn't over, as five of those 11 newcomers are in eligibility limbo with the NCAA. Three of them, Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, and Chauncey Wiggins, are fighting for eligibility as members of the high school class of 2022, while two others - Izan Almansa and Nathan de Sousa - are international commits who are still waiting for the NCAA to grant them eligibility for this upcoming season.

Assuming everyone ends up eligible - and that's a big if - Gonzaga boasts one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the entire country. Below is a look at each of the 11 newcomers on the roster, ranked by how impactful they are projected to be this upcoming season:

1. Center Massamba Diop (Arizona State transfer)

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So much attention has gone to the recent backcourt additions, but ultimately the best player brought to Spokane this offseason is the big man Massamba Diop. Diop is a 7'1 monster from Arizona State who averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks with the Sun Devils as a freshman last year.

He is a near perfect fit next to Huff in Few's system, and gives the Zags the rim protector they haven't had since Holmgren's departure in 2022. Don't be surprised if Diop is on the All Pac-12 First Team, or even in consideration as a 2027 NBA draft pick.

2. Point guard Xaivian Lee (Florida transfer)

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Xaivian Lee (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When Mario Saint-Supery shocked the Zags by leaving in mid-July to pursue a pro opportunity in Spain, everyone focused on who coach Few would land to replace him.

UCLA's Donovan Dent was long thought of as the top option, but after he landed at LSU Gonzaga struck gold with Lee, a talented 6'4 guard who started at Florida last year - the No. 1 team in the country for multiple weeks.

Lee is a terrific finisher at the rim, elite pick and roll navigator, and strong defender who held his own in the SEC after three years at Princeton. He will be the straw that stirs the drink for Gonzaga this season, and significantly raises both the floor and the ceiling of this program - if eligible.

3. Forward Chauncey Wiggins (Florida State transfer)

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Chauncey Wiggins (7) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wiggins will likely start at the three for Gonzaga this season, pushing Fogle to the two and giving the Zags one of the tallest starting lineups in the country.

The 6'10 forward certainly plays more like a guard, drilling 39% of his 6.0 three-point attempts per game last year at Florida State. He gives the Zags desperately needed floor spacing from the perimeter and is an underrated key piece of this roster working in 2026-27.

4. Forward Izan Almansa (Spain)

Almansa is a 21-year-old 6'10 big man from Spain who's had a decorated professional career - a nice advantage for Gonzaga, but also the main reason he has not yet been cleared to play this upcoming season.

Almansa played for the G League Ignite in 2023-24, the Perth Wildcats in the NBL in 2024-25, and spent last year with Real Madrid in Spain - all experiences the NCAA could use to deny him eligibility even though he is within the five year competition window.

The Spaniard is a terrific rebounder and finisher at the rim who would give the Zags a much-needed third big man behind Diop and Huff - and his eligibility case is a critical one to watch this offseason.

5. Guard Isiah Harwell (Houston transfer)

Feb 10, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harwell was Gonzaga's first commitment of this transfer portal class, coming over from Houston after the Zags pursued him tirelessly during his high school career.

The 6'6 guard averaged 3.6 points with the Coogs last year, but a change of scenery and another year removed from a serious leg injury could help the sophomore break out in 2026-27 as one of Gonzaga's top perimeter options and likely the team's best on-ball defender.

6. Point guard Javon Bennett (Dayton transfer)

Mar 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Javon Bennett (0) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bennett is currently ineligible after the NCAA was granted stay requests in both the Ohio and federal Colorado lawsuits, although his status could certainly change.

If he ends up eligible, he'll be the team's backup point guard behind Lee, and will offer a nice change of pace and solid outside shooting in a sixth man role for the Bulldogs.

7. Guard Luca Foster (Freshman)

Gonzaga recruit Luca Foster watches the Bulldogs’ game against Northwest at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Erik Smith

Foster is Gonzaga's top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class, a 4-star wing who displayed high-level scoring and outside shooting at Link Academy in Branson, MO.

The 6'6 guard has been impressive this summer in Spokane, and could push for a bigger role this season if he continues to shoot the ball well - and especially if the team ends up without Wiggins on the wing.

8. Point guard Nathan de Sousa (France)

de Sousa is the hardest player to rank on this list. In a best-case scenario for Gonzaga, he is the third string point guard behind Lee and Bennett, playing a fairly limited role as another creator and outside shooter.

But there's a world where de Sousa is eligible and Lee and Bennett are not, making him the de facto starting PG and a critical piece of Gonzaga's roster. The 6'3 guard shot 36% from three and averaged nearly five assists per game last year for Cholet in France, and is perfectly capable of handling a big role for the Zags - it's just not clear if he will need to or not.

9. Guard/forward Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa (France)

Ekanga-Ehawa is an 18-year-old, 6'6 wing from France with tantalizing upside as a high-scoring wing. He doesn't have much of an outside shot yet, and is expected to be a reserve player in year one while he adjusts to college basketball in the States.

10. Center Sam Funches (Freshman)

Recruit Sam Funches and his family watch Gonzaga’s Kraziness in the Kennel at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI

Funches is a 7'0 center from Mississippi whom Gonzaga recruited heavily before his commitment last October. His 7'5 wingspan and shot-blocking ability give him high upside, but he doesn't project to be more than emergency depth his first year in Spokane.

11. Guard/Forward Carter Nilson (Freshman/Walk-on)

Nilson is the son of former Gonzaga walk-on Mike Nilson, who won WCC Defensive Player of the Year back in 1999-2000. Nilson likely won't play much this season, but could become a crowd favorite at The Kennel.

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