Should Gonzaga pursue former Pac-12 guard to replace Mario Saint-Supery?

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have one of the best starting frontcourts in the entire country heading into 2026-27, along with a high-upside pair of sophomore wings - all of whom are ready to take this program deep into the NCAA Tournament.

They just need to find the guy who is going to steer the ship.

The plan until about two weeks ago was Mario Saint-Supery, who was coming off a very promising freshman campaign and looked ready to take the leap as a sophomore. However, the Spanish native returned to his home country unexpectedly in mid-July, signing a multi-year deal with Valencia to the shock of Gonzaga's coaches and fanbase.

Now the program is leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit of a point guard to navigate a starting lineup expected to feature Massamba Diop, Braden Huff, Davis Fogle, and Isiah Harwell in 2026-27.

The transfer portal and international markets are long dried up, but the potential for the class of 2022 seniors to get a fifth year of eligibility - an ongoing legal battle in multiple states - could help the Zags significantly in this endeavor.

While former UCLA guard Donovan Dent is the most notable name pursuing a fifth year, another opponent Gonzaga faced last year - Texas' Jordan Pope - is one to watch as well.

Jordan Pope history

February 22, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Oregon State Beavers guard Jordan Pope (0) | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Pope is a 6'2 guard from Oakley, CA who spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Oregon State in the Pac-12, before playing his final two years at Texas in the SEC.

Pope made the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after averaging 12.6 points with the Beavers in 2022-23, and he broke out even more as a sophomore - finishing fifth in the conference with 17.6 points per game, while leading the league with an 87.8% mark from the free throw line and shooting a very respectable 37.1% from beyond the arc.

The 6'2 guard then moved over to the SEC to play for Texas, averaging 11 points as a junior and 13.1 points as a senior this past season under coach Sean Miller. Pope shot 37.2% from three on a career-high 6.4 attempts per game, and poured 17 points and three assists on the Zags in UT's upset win in the Round of 32.

Fit at Gonzaga

Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pope is similar to another potential Zag target, Skyy Clark, in that he is a great shooter and scorer but doesn't facilitate as often as Gonzaga would probably like for their Saint-Supery replacement.

Pope shot 37.1% on 5.4 attempts per game across four collegiate seasons, never shooting worse than 36.4% in a remarkably consistent display. He also shot a respectable 48.5% on two-pointers and an elite 85.8% from the free-throw line, getting there 2.5 times per game.

However, his career 2.3 assists and 1.4 turnovers per game point to a player who is more interested in getting his shots up than running an offense - a skill that is certainly going to appeal to many college teams if he does wind up eligible for a fifth year.

Gonzaga must prioritize someone who can navigate the pick and roll and get guys the basketball in positions to score - which is what makes Dent (7.6 assists per game last year) such an appealing option.

If the Zags have the capital to grab more than one player out of this fifth-year pool, getting Dent and Pope would clean up two of the biggest concerns on the roster in point guard play and outside shooting.

Pope will be a hot commodity if he is eligible, and while his shooting would be a welcome sight in Spokane, it makes sense for Gonzaga to prioritize someone with more of a pass-first mentality to lead this team in 2026-27.

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