Versatile guard becomes Gonzaga's first commitment in 2027 class

Dooney Johnson committed to Mark Few and the Zags on Wednesday

Dooney Johnson takes in the action at Gonzaga’s matchup against Western Oregon at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Erik Smith

After securing three high-level recruits in the 2026 class in the month of October alone, Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have already started making moves for the 2027 group.

Dooney Johnson, a 6'5 guard from Milwaukee, committed to the Zags on Wednesday, becoming the team's first commit in the 2027 class.

Johnson picked Gonzaga over Wisconsin, Marquette, Indiana, Missouri, and others. The 4-star guard is ranked No. 41 in the 2027 class at 247Sports, coming in at No. 11 among small forwards and No. 1 in the state of Wisconsin.

Rivals is more bullish on Johnson, ranking him No. 30 in the class, while ESPN has him the highest at No. 28.

Gonzaga contacted Johnson very early in the 2027 cycle and made him a scholarship offer in mid-July. The staff even sent assistant coach and Midwest native Zach Norvell Jr. out to see him in August, hoping Norvell's similar background — and playstyle — would impress Johnson.

Gonzaga Bulldogs assistant coach Zach Norvell Jr. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

It's not a surprise to see Gonzaga so invested in the versatile guard, who has proven capable of impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Johnson had a stellar 30-point performance at Peach Jam in July, showcasing elite foul-drawing ability by making 21 out of 25 attempts at the charity stripe across just two games.

"The 6'6 Johnson is a ball in hand guard, someone who initiates offense while putting pressure on the defense," wrote On3 recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw. "Johnson plays with a great pace, not getting rushed and aggressively getting to his spots in the half court. He uses his big body well to create leverage, absorbing contact with good balance."

Johnson is the first commitment for Gonzaga in 2027, who landed a trio of 2026 recruits in October: 6'5 German guard Jack Kayil, 7'0 center Sam Funches from Mississippi, and, most recently, 6'5 wing Luca Foster from Pennsylvania.

Dooney Johnson takes in the action at Gonzaga’s matchup against Western Oregon. | Photo by Erik Smith

In addition to Johnson, Gonzaga is pursuing four other 2027 recruits. Jalen Davis, a 6'3 guard from Bremerton, WA, has an offer from the Zags, who would love to keep him in-state. Davis climbed into the top 20 of 247Sports' updated class rankings, settling at No. 18.

Gonzaga is also pursuing 6'6 wing DeMarcus Henry from Compass Prep in Arizona, who is ranked No. 16 in the class, as well as 6'11 center Darius Wabbington, who is also from Arizona. Wabbington was No. 31 in the updated rankings.

Finally, Gonzaga has also been connected to Gene Roebuck, a 6'5 high-scoring wing from California who ranked No. 48 at 247Sports.

Dooney Johnson has committed to Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.https://t.co/sOLoRQYwtK pic.twitter.com/SGH4JozDui

— Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI (@GonzagaOnSI) October 29, 2025

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