Top 25 prospect 'really interested' in Gonzaga after hearing recruiting pitch

Gonzaga is in pursuit of 2027 center Darius Wabbington from Phoenix

Gonzaga Bulldogs assistant coach Brian Michaelson. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs coaching staff cast a wide net out on the recruiting trail this summer, pursuing a litany of top prospects in both the 2026 and 2027 classes.

The program has been connected to five players ranked inside the top 50 of the 2027 class: forward DeMarcus Henry, guard Jalen Davis, center Darius Wabbington, guard Dooney Johnson, and wing Gene Roebuck III.

Wabbington, a 6'11 center from Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, recently spoke to Jake Weingarten of Stock Risers about his recruitment and discussed Gonzaga's pitch to him.

When asked what Gonzaga said in their pitch to him, Wabbington said, "I'm the best big in the country, and they produce the best bigs."

"I really like coach Brian [Michaelson]," Wabbington continued. "And I'm really interested."

Wabbington came in at No. 31 in 247Sports' updated 2027 class rankings, where he was the No. 5-ranked center. The big man is No. 20 in ESPN's top 60 rankings, and No. 27 at Rivals, ranked as the No. 3 center at both outlets.

January 23, 2025; Goodyear, Ariz.; USA; Sunnyslope forward Darius Wabbington (21) dribbles up the court against Millennium forward Kingston Tosi (24). | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is no shortage of high-profile programs pursuing the mobile big man, with Wabbington listing Arizona, Providence, USC, Texas, Washington, Purdue, and, most recently, Duke among the interested schools.

He also indicated he plans to visit Washington on Sep. 26, USC on Oct. 5, and Providence on Nov. 2.

Wabbington - who has also drawn interest from Indiana, UCLA, and Louisville, according to 247Sports - called Arizona his dream school back in June after first receiving an offer from Tommy Lloyd's team.

Feb 15, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd claps his hands during the first half against the Houston Cougars. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Still, Gonzaga's track record of developing big man talent is undeniable, and if the staff extends him a scholarship offer and/or brings him to Spokane for a visit, it sounds like they will have a good chance of landing a commitment down the line.

Wabbington averaged 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game as a sophomore at Sunnyslope High School last year, leading his team to a 21-9 record in the top division of Arizona high school hoops. He was named an honorable mention All-American by MaxPreps for his performance, and parlayed that into a strong showing at Peach Jam this summer.

Wabbington has soft touch and good footwork around the rim, developing skills with the ball in his hands, and strong instincts defensively around the basket - traits that all play extremely well in Gonzaga's high-usage offense. Wabbington seems to recognize that, and even with a huge list of high-profile programs in pursuit, it sounds like coach Few's club is a very real player for the 6'11 big man.