What Joaquim ArauzMoore entering the transfer portal means for Gonzaga’s roster

ArauzMoore spent the past three seasons at Gonzaga, appearing in eight games last year

Gonzaga redshirt freshman Joaquim ArauzMoore. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs will have a very new look roster in 2026-27, right down to the guys at the end of the bench.

6'1 guard Joaquim ArauzMoore, who spent the past three seasons as a walk-on for the Zags, announced he is entering the transfer portal on Tuesday - becoming the sixth player from last year's roster to do so.

ArauzMoore was one of four walk-ons on Gonzaga's roster last season. Noah Haaland is out the door after exhausting his eligibility, while guard Cade Orness is also in the transfer portal looking for a new home. That leaves Alonzo Metz, who joined the team last year and redshirted, as the last remaining player from this quartet.

ArauzMoore, aka Q, joined Gonzaga initially ahead of the 2023-24 season, but like most walk-ons, he did not suit up that season. Q made his in-season debut on Nov. 15, 2024, in a 113-54 win over UMass-Lowell, scoring two points with two rebounds and a steal. He hit a three against Long Beach State five days later, giving him five total points on the season across four games - having also appeared briefly against Oregon State and Pepperdine.

Q then played in eight games for Gonzaga this past season, scoring six points and going 2-3 from three, along with two rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

All told, ArauzMoore played 28 minutes across 12 appearances with the Zags, scoring 11 points with seven rebounds and two steals. He shot 3-6 from three and 1-3 on twos.

Now, the native of Ross, CA, will look for a new home to continue his collegiate career. Whether that happens at the Division 1 level or not remains to be seen, but worth noting that the two most recent walk-on players to transfer from Gonzaga - Graydon Lemke and Colby Brooks - both landed at D1 schools in Belmont and San Diego, respectively.

What it means for Gonzaga

ArauzMoore's departure leaves Gonzaga with nine players on next year's roster: returners Braden Huff, Davis Fogle, Mario Saint-Supery, Parker Jefferson, and Metz, along with four newcomers in transfer Isiah Harwell and incoming freshmen Jack Kayil, Luca Foster, and Sam Funches.

The House settlement created a limit of 15 players per roster in college basketball, with each player required to be on a full scholarship. That means Gonzaga has six roster spots to fill, although they likely won't all go to players looking for immediate playing time.

A walk-on type player or two will probably end up on the roster before the season begins, similar to how ArauzMoore, Orness, and Metz joined the team in the middle of the summer over the past few years.

Gonzaga will then use those other 4-5 roster spots to shore up key positions of need, including a starting caliber center and rim protector - with known targets like Massamba Diop, Moustapha Thiam, and Samet Yigitoglu - and an off-ball shooting guard, like Gavin Sykes, Tahlan Pettway, Mason Williams, or Legend Smiley.