Study: Gonzaga gets the most production from its transfers

In an analysis of which college basketball programs get the most out of their incoming transfers, the Zags stood out

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

No program in the country has capitalized on the transfer portal quite like the Gonzaga Bulldogs have in recent years, according to a study from basketball analytic Evan Miya.

In an analysis of which schools get the most out of their incoming transfers, Miya’s study found that the Zags have gotten the most production from their transfers over the last five seasons. In that span, Mark Few has brought in nine transfers, none of whom were more productive than Andrew Nembhard in the 2020-21 season, according to the study’s algorithm. Miya found that the nine transfer players played 23.4 minutes per game.

A transfer’s production was calculated using Miya’s Bayesian Performance Rating, which incorporates a player’s individual efficiency stats and on-court play-by-play impact together as one. It also adjusts a player’s rating to account for the strength of the other players on the court for every possession played. Gonzaga’s average transfer production rating was 5.0, followed by Houston (4.87), UConn (4.61) and Auburn (4.59). 

The study also compared a player’s end-of-season BPR to their preseason projection in order to determine which teams got their transfers to outperform expectations consistently. Gonzaga ranked No. 14 in that part of the analysis, while Arizona topped the list. UConn, Drake, Houston and Washington State rounded out the top five schools that got their transfers to exceed expectations.

Since 2019, the Bulldogs' list of incoming transfers who were eligible for the study are Admon Gilder, Ryan Woolridge, Aaron Cook, Andrew Nembhard, Rasir Bolton, Efton Reid III, Malachi Smith, Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard.

Andrew had the highest BPR (6.68) of that group, as the study noted, followed by his brother Ryan (6.39), Gilder (5.93) and Bolton (5.62). 

Gonzaga’s history of bringing in and developing proven talent, even well before the days of the transfer portal, could bode well for the future of the 2024 transfer class. Mark Few brought in 6-foot-7 wing Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine, 6-foot-5 grad transfer Khalif Battle from Arkansas and 6-foot-5 wing Emmanuel Innocenti from Tarleton State in the current cycle. Colgate transfer Braeden Smith, the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, is reported to take an official visit within the week as well.

Even as it currently stands the Bulldogs boast the top-ranked transfer portal class in the West Coast Conference, according to Miya.