Tracking Gonzaga's top 2025 basketball recruits: Isiah Harwell and Jalen Haralson among targets
It's no secret that recruiting is the lifeblood of college sports, with the process often beginning years ahead of a player's commitment.
Gonzaga men's basketball head coach Mark Few and his staff are awaiting announcements from several of their Class of 2024 recruits, while simultaneously pursuing student-athletes in the upcoming grades.
Although the Zags have yet to land their first recruit in the Class of 2025, here's a look at the program's top targets:
Isiah Harwell, shooting guard (Mount Pleasant, Utah)
Photo by Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports
Harwell was the first 2025 recruit to receive an offer from Gonzaga and remains the program's highest-ranked target in the class. The Pocatello, Idaho native is the seventh-best junior in the country, according to 247Sports.
Gonzaga is competing for Harwell's commitment alongside Kansas, Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, Alabama, Texas, Michigan and Michigan State.
As a sophomore at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, Harwell averaged 9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1 block per game across 13 outings. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard scored a team-high 16 points in a 58-55 win over Legacy Early College in the NIBC season finale.
Wasatch Academy has developed several impactful players in the West Coast Conference, including Gonzaga's Nolan Hickman and Santa Clara’s Josip Vrankic.
Jalen Haralson, combo guard (La Porte, Indiana)
Coaches began contacting 2025 recruits on June 15 and one of Few's first calls went to Haralson, who announced his offer from Gonzaga that same night.
Haralson, a 6-foot-6 combo guard, ranks eighth among juniors in the nation, per 247Sports. He's the top player from Indiana, where he plays for La Lumiere School, a prep school that has attracted a collection of elite prospects in the past decade.
Aside from Gonzaga, Haralson has offers from Indiana, Purdue, Auburn, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Ohio State, TCU and Wisconsin.
Jeremiah Fears, combo guard (Chandler, Arizona)
Another highly-touted combo guard, Fears transferred over the summer from Joliet West in Joliet, Illinois, to national powerhouse Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.
Fears, the 49th-ranked junior in the country by 247Sports, will announce his college decision on January 13. His choices include Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Gonzaga, Arizona, Tennessee and Oregon.
Don't be fooled by his 6-foot-2 frame, Fears has all the tools to serve as a high-volume scorer for a top-level program. He can pull up from long range the moment he finds an opening, while also being able to finish with craft around the rim.
Nikolas Khamenia, power forward (Studio City, California)
Photo by Dennis Lee, SBLive Sports
Khamenia started getting pursued by national contenders this summer after leading Harvard-Westlake to a CIF State Open Division title as a sophomore.
Gonzaga was the seventh program to offer Khamenia, joining the likes of UCLA, Kansas and Iowa. The 6-foot-7 power forward visited Spokane last October and was in attendance for the annual Kraziness in the Kennel event.
On a national scale, Khamenia is ranked 60th overall and 14th at his position in his class by 247Sports. He's rated as the seventh-best player in California.
Khamenia is comfortable creating for himself off the dribble and has a knack for sinking difficult shots. He scored 16 points as Harvard-Westlake defeated Santa Maria St. Joseph in the state championship.
Semetri Carr, point guard (Ross, California)
Photo courtesy of Semetri Carr's Instagram account
Carr has mostly fielded offers from West Coast colleges, but the 3-star recruit is soon expected to start receiving opportunities from programs across the country.
A 6-foot point guard from the Bay Area, Carr is ranked 104th in his class by 247Sports. He has offers from Washington, Washington State, San Diego, Sacramento State and Seattle, among others.
Carr was a key contributor for Branson last season, helping the Bulls achieve a 28-4 overall record and a first-place finish in Marin County. He scored 36 points in Branson's victory over Pinole Valley in the North Coast Section Division III championship.
Legend Smiley, shooting guard (Seattle, Washington)
Photo by Vince Miller
It's no surprise that Washington's top-ranked junior has been contacted by the state's premier college basketball program. Smiley has reportedly heard from Few and his staff, but a scholarship hasn't yet been offered.
The shooting guard from Seattle is listed as No. 121 overall and 18th at his position in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports.
As a rangy athlete with a 6-foot-5, 175-pound frame, Smiley is a dynamic scorer who can seemingly get a bucket from anywhere on the floor.
He scored 30 points on 52.2% shooting to help Garfield defeat O'Dea in the WIAA Class 3A state championship last season.
