Report: Gonzaga reached out to New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent

Reigning Mountain West Player of the Year says he's 'heard from' the Bulldogs, as well as Kentucky, Louisville, UCLA and others

New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent (2) dribbles in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent is one of the hottest players on the open market after he entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2 junior from Riverside, California, has reportedly heard from a handful of blueblood programs across the country, including the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Dent was named the Mountain West Player of the Year and averaged a league-high 20.4 points across 35 appearances in 2024-25.

Dent spent the past three seasons in Albuquerque, New Mexico, playing for head coach Richard Pitino, who was recently named the next coach of the Xavier Musketeers. In 104 career games, he averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Dent earned All-MWC honors twice and All-MWC Tournament honors this past season.

Dent helped guide the Lobos (27-8, 17-3 Mountain West) to their most wins in over a decade and the program's second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. New Mexico pulled off an upset over 7-seed Marquette in the first round behind 21 points from Dent. The Lobos bowed out in the round of 32 to 2-seed Michigan State in a 71-63 final from Cleveland.

New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent, one of the top overall players in the portal, tells @LeagueRDY he’s heard from these schools since entering the transfer portal:

Kentucky
Louisville
UCLA
North Carolina
Gonzaga
USC
Tennessee
Texas Tech 

He averaged 20.4PPG, 6.4APG, 2.3RPG… pic.twitter.com/nVGmQFNPyb

— Sam Kayser - 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) March 26, 2025

Coming out of Centennial High School (California), Dent was ranked as a four-star recruit in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports.com. On a team that featured current Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain and current Loyola Marymount Lions forward Aaron McBride, Dent helped guide the Huskies to the CIF Open Division state title his senior year, and was named California's Mr. Basketball.

After blossoming into one of the best guards at scoring the basketball in the mid-major level, Dent has an opportunity to cash in big-time his senior year based on the list of reported schools that he's heard from since entering the portal.

Gonzaga is in a position to target another point guard in the portal, knowing that Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Khalif Battle have exhausted their eligibility. Colgate transfer Braeden Smith is likely to take the reins after his redshirt season, as the former Patriot League Player of the Year will have two more years of eligibility starting in 2025-26. Emmanuel Innocenti is also eligible to return for what would be his junior year of college.