Two Gonzaga players selected to Spain FIBA World Cup qualifying roster

Spain will play Denmark and Georgia in early July

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Mario Saint-Supery. | Photo by Myk Crawford

The international pipeline at Gonzaga is thriving right now, with former, current, and future players showing up on FIBA rosters all over the world.

The latest announcement came from Spain, which revealed its 14-player roster for the upcoming FIBA 2027 World Cup Qualifiers.

Two of the 14 players are set to play for Gonzaga this upcoming season: returning sophomore point guard Mario Saint-Supery and 21-year-old big man Izan Almansa, who committed to the Zags this offseason.

Spain already clinched a spot in the final qualification round after posting a 4-0 record, but they have two key upcoming matchups against Denmark and Georgia. Those results will impact their status in Group 1 this August.

Spain will take on Denmark on July 2 at 10:00 AM PT in Madrid, before travelling to Tbilisi to face Georgia on July 5. This will take Saint-Supery away from the team for the second offseason in a row, although this absence will be far shorter than his time spent with the Spanish National Team at EuroBasket last summer.

Almansa is awaiting eligibility from the NCAA and thus has not reported to Spokane this offseason. Getting some (more) experience playing next to Saint-Supery is the best-case scenario for Almansa and Gonzaga, since he otherwise is not allowed to play with his soon-to-be teammates ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Breakout coming for Mario?

Despite spending little time in Spokane ahead of his freshman season, Saint-Supery caught on quickly and had a fantastic year with the Zags, averaging 8.6 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.3% from beyond the arc.

Now he's projected as the team's primary ball-handler with Braeden Smith (Notre Dame) hitting the transfer portal, and he should be in line for a big breakout alongside fellow sophomores Davis Fogle, Isiah Harwell, and Massamba Diop.

A full offseason in Spokane - save for this brief international trip - will further help Saint-Supery prepare for his second collegiate season, and he is a player to watch as a potential All-Pac-12 contributor in 2026-27.

Almansa's impact

Almansa is projected as Gonzaga's third big behind Diop and Braden Huff, and should have a healthy role in his first collegiate season - assuming his eligibility is granted.

The 6'10 big man averaged 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds with the G League Ignite in 2023-24, and most recently spent time with Real Madrid - where he posted 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 23 games.

A prolific rebounder and decision maker, Almansa's international experience makes him a great fit on Gonzaga's very young bench, and he will be a critical piece of the team's first Pac-12 season.

Saint-Supery and Almansa are joined on the Spanish roster by veteran and team captain Willy Hernangomez and a group of young, talented players, including Boston Celtics forward Hugo Gonzalez, Alvaro Cardenas, and Dario Brizuela.