What Gonzaga’s lineup looks like after landing 7-foot-1 transfer Massamba Diop

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs struck gold on Tuesday, landing a massive commitment from 7'1 center Massamba Diop out of the transfer portal.

Diop starred at Arizona State last year as a freshman, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 59.4% on twos and 71.5% from the free throw line.

The 21-year-old will instantly bolster Gonzaga's frontcourt on both sides of the ball, and he is a near-perfect pairing alongside senior Braden Huff, who comes back to Spokane after a knee injury ended his season prematurely in mid-January.

Diop is the second transfer portal addition by the Zags this offseason, alongside Houston guard Isiah Harwell, with the staff also bringing in a trio of freshmen in German guard Jack Kayil, 4-star wing Luca Foster, and 4-star center Sam Funches.

The addition of Diop gives Gonzaga a nearly complete rotation heading into 2026-27, although the team still has five roster spots to fill after losing 11 players from last year's squad.

Below is a look at Gonzaga's projected starting lineup and rotation, and what might be next for the team now that Diop is officially in the mix:

Projected starting lineup

Center Massamba Diop

Diop immediately steps into the role vacated by Graham Ike last year, where he'll serve as the program's best defensive anchor since Chet Holmgren. At 7'1, Diop provides critical rim protection, rebounding, and soft touch offensively, making him an ideal fit alongside Braden Huff.

Forward Braden Huff

Huff stepped into a starting role this past season alongside Graham Ike and thrived at the forward spot, averaging a career-high 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds before suffering a season-ending knee injury in mid-January. Now he'll operate next to another force around the rim, with less pressure on him defensively thanks to Diop's rim protection.

Forward Davis Fogle

Fogle began his freshman season in a limited role, but emerged as a critical offensive weapon for coach Few and the staff down the stretch. His growth was incredibly impressive in year one, and he's expected to be among the bigger breakout candidates in all of college basketball next season.

Guard Jack Kayil

Kayil is not your typical freshman after the 20-year-old played against grown men in Germany as a member of Alba Berlin this past year. Gonzaga secured a commitment from Kayil back in October, but his plan has always been to test out the NBA draft waters, which he made official late last week. Most expect the 6'5 guard to end up in Spokane, but staying in the draft remains an option for now.

Kayil can play both guard positions, and if he comes to GU, he has a great chance of starting right away next season in what would be an all-international backcourt.

Guard Mario Saint-Supery

Saint-Supery joins Huff and Fogle as crucial returners for coach Few. The 6'3 guard got off to a bit of a slow start last year, missing most of the offseason while representing Spain at EuroBasket, but he caught fire down the stretch and looked every bit the part of an elite Gonzaga point guard. Year 2 should be more of the same.

Bench/rotation

Guard Isiah Harwell

Harwell was Gonzaga's first portal addition, a 6'6 wing from Houston whom the Zags pursued very heavily out of high school.

The native of Pocatello, ID, ended up playing a small role for the Coogs last year, in part because he was still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in high school, but nevertheless, he declared for the NBA draft and will go through the process.

Jan 28, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1). | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The consensus is that Harwell will be in Spokane for his sophomore season, where he is a strong breakout candidate now that he is further removed from the knee injury and in a faster-paced offense.

Forward Parker Jefferson

Jefferson is a 6'9 big man from Texas who joined Gonzaga as a freshman last year, after he decommitted from Minnesota following a coaching change.

Jefferson redshirted last year, but could be in line for a big role right away in Spokane, just like his teammate, Braden Huff, who did exactly that two years ago.

Wing Luca Foster

Foster is a 6'5 4-star recruit in the 2026 class. He is considered one of the best shooters and pure scorers among the incoming freshmen, and he should compete for rotation minutes right away in Spokane - much like Fogle did last year.

Center Sam Funches

Funches is a 7'0 center with a 7'5 wingspan who won Mr. Basketball in the state of Mississippi last year. He'll join the Zags as a bit of a project offensively, but a player who could make a massive impact on this team in due time, thanks to his length and rim protection skills.

Recruit Sam Funches and his family watch Gonzaga’s Kraziness in the Kennel at the McCarthey Athletic Center. | Photo by Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI

Getting a chance to learn from Diop, an adept rim protector with serious length, is a perfect developmental opportunity for Funches.

Guard Alonzo Metz

Metz joined the Zags last year as a walk-on. The 5'11 guard redshirted - like most walk-ons do - but should see the floor at times this upcoming season.

What's next

Gonzaga has five roster spots still to fill, although most of the rotation seems set, assuming both Kayil and Harwell end up in Spokane.

Adding a three-point specialist to the guard room feels like the last big step for Few and the Zags, and they have tunneled in on a target from Stetson in Ethan Copeland, who drilled 109 threes at a 42.9% clip last year for the Hatters. The Washington native held a Zoom call with Gonzaga recently, and would be a dream addition as a fourth guard alongside Saint-Supery, Kayil, and Harwell in this rotation.

Gonzaga's only other known target is Campbell guard Jeremiah Johnson, and while they could still add a transfer or two, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the final few roster spots go to international players or walk-on types.

Gonzaga will struggle to find players eager to transfer into a program that may not have much, if any, playing time available - meaning the staff will have to get a little creative with these spots.

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