Why it makes sense for Braden Huff to return for his junior season at Gonzaga

Bulldogs forward has steadily improved his game over the course of his two seasons on the court

Gonzaga forward Braden Huff. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

These days, college basketball players like Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff are considered a rarity.

In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, there aren't many highly-touted high school recruits who go through with taking a year off when they immediately arrive on campus as a freshman. The pool of players who stick with the same school after one season really isn't much deeper, whether that's referring to programs at the high-major or mid-major levels.

And then there's Huff, the skilled 6-foot-10 post player who has annoyed and frustrated some of Gonzaga's most talented big men in practice over the last few years, from the program's all-time leading scorer in Drew Timme to, most recently, All-WCC forward Graham Ike. Huff took a redshirt year when he joined the team prior to the 2022-23 season, which would've been considered an odd move for someone who was a four-star recruit and recently named Mr. Basketball of Illinois. But Huff had seen how redshirt years had played out for previous Gonzaga stars, most notably Kelly Olynyk, and decided a year off to develop his game further was the best course of action for his career.

Huff came out of the gate strong as a redshirt freshman, but his minutes were more sporadic during West Coast Conference play. He still showcased the ability to put the ball in the basket at a high clip, averaging 9.5 points in 13.5 minutes per game off the bench. With Ike set to return to the starting lineup for the 2024-25 campaign, Huff could've explored more lucrative opportunities elsewhere via the portal like so many other players would've done if put in his position. Big men were commanding a lot of NIL money that offseason, and a power conference program probably would've paid a hefty price tag for Huff's services.

Huff stuck it out, though, and his patience was rewarded late in his redshirt sophomore season when he got a starting nod for Gonzaga's showdown against the Saint Mary's Gaels in the WCC tournament championship game. Huff delivered 18 points, including the game's only 3-point basket, and played sound defense to guide Gonzaga to a 58-51 victory. He followed that up with an 18-point performance against the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 22, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34) drives to the basket against Houston Cougars forward J'Wan Roberts (13) during the first half at Intrust Bank Arena. | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

Perhaps along with his patience, Huff's approach and preparation to the game have served him best over his time with the Bulldogs. From logging over 30 minutes one day, to not even 10 minutes the next — which happened to Huff at the Battle 4 Atlantis this past season — he's been ready to contribute in whatever capacity that's required of him in order to win. He also made considerable strides on the defensive end of the floor from year one to year two.

While appearing in all 35 of Gonzaga's games last season, Huff put up 11.0 points per game while shooting 57.7% from the field overall, including a WCC-best 70.1% from inside the arc. He grabbed 3.4 rebounds and recorded 1.1 assists per game. Huff logged 16.7 minutes per game on the season, but was on the floor for 29.3 minutes per game during his three postseason starts.

Should Huff return to Spokane for another year and continue to follow Gonzaga's plan for him, he'd come back to form arguably the best frontcourt tandem in the country alongside a familiar face in Ike, who is eligible to return for another year as well, while playing more minutes on average than he ever has before in his college career. That might depend slightly on who the Zags acquire in the portal, but either way, the offense is likely going to flow through the frontcourt's ability to dominate down low.

For Gonzaga, retaining Huff would provide continuity at a key position that's a little thin with Ben Gregg set to graduate and Michael Ajayi in the transfer portal. Ismaila Diagne could return for his sophomore season, as the 7-footer from Senegal earned more opportunities off the bench late in the regular season and could play more in 2025-26 if he rounds out his offensive game this summer. Huff has already proven to be a reliable option on that end of the floor; even his 3-point numbers took a slight dip from his freshman season (Huff shot 28.1% from downtown last season after knocking down 33.8% of his 3-pointers in 2023-24).

With another year to refine his outside shot and defensive abilities at a place known for developing NBA-level bigs, Huff could start to build some momentum for the NBA by the time his redshirt junior season comes to a close. And even if he has to go through another year of college after that, it's safe to assume Huff will wait for as long as it takes before it's time to move on to his next journey.