Gonzaga men’s basketball roster update: Zags add proven scorers through transfer portal

Following a tidal wave of player movement across college basketball, the Gonzaga Bulldogs came out on the other end of the transfer portal window with strong national championship aspirations for the 2024-25 season.

With some players in the portal still undecided, things could change by next fall. For now, here’s a look at who’s expected to suit up for the Zags, who will likely enter next season as a top-10 preseason team.

RETURNERS:

G Ryan Nembhard (senior)
G Nolan Hickman (senior)
G/F Steele Venters (redshirt senior)
G Dusty Stromer (sophomore)
G Joe Few (senior)
F Ben Gregg (senior)
F Braden Huff (redshirt sophomore)
F Graham Ike (senior)

A group that was relatively inexperienced when they first joined forces a year ago will now be expected to hit the ground running next fall following a Sweet 16 appearance. Based on various “way-too-early” top 25 rankings and polls, some prognosticators expect the Bulldogs to be a top-five team entering November based on how much experience they’ll return from a 27-8 squad.

The Zags are expected to return 81.4% of the minutes played from last season, which is the program’s highest retention rate since the 2005-06 season when Mark Few brought back seven of his top eight scorers from a team that finished the 2004-05 campaign ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll. Considering that there was far less player movement back then than there is today, as well as the trend of one-and-dones in the 2010s, Gonzaga has certainly adjusted to the new era of college basketball.

Continuity hasn’t been the most important trait of championship-caliber teams in recent years, though it does come into play regarding the point guard position. Seven of the past 10 national champions had the same point guard in the starting lineup from the season before. 

That trend bodes well for the Bulldogs, who return All-WCC guard Ryan Nembhard after a historic passing season in year one in Spokane. Nembhard broke the program’s single-season assist record while adjusting to Gonzaga’s system and his new teammates. With relatively the same cast surrounding him for his senior season, the Canadian point guard has ample opportunity to pick up where he left off last season.

As for Nembhard’s backcourt mate, Nolan Hickman no longer bears the burden of adjusting to yet another role within the offense. Now a seasoned senior, the 6-foot-2 guard is coming off his best season as a Bulldog in which he averaged 14.0 points and went 78-of-139 (41.3%) from 3-point range. The Seattle native figures to play a significant role as an off-ball guard next to Nembhard once again.

Graham Ike headlines a deep frontcourt that features a blend of skillsets and intangibles. The 6-foot-9 post was one of college basketball’s most dominant presences on the low block, especially toward the latter half of the season as his connection with Nembhard strengthened in the pick-and-roll game. Flexed with floor spacing from Braden Huff and Ben Gregg, the Zags have a multitude of bigs who can impact the game.

Gregg’s return to Spokane was big for the Bulldogs, considering the 6-foot-10 forward’s versatility and energy was the team’s spark in the second half of the season. Gonzaga won 16 of its last 19 games with Gregg in the starting lineup and ranked top-five in the country in offensive efficiency. 

Dusty Stromer has an opportunity to expand his game after contributing primarily through his hustle and energy as a freshman. Gonzaga became crowded at the wing spot all of a sudden after minimal depth at the position last season, though Stromer can still carve out a role for himself given his outside shooting and tenacity on defense. 

DEPARTURES: 

F Anton Watson (graduation)
F Colby Brooks (transfer portal)
F Pavle Stosic (transfer portal)
G Luka Krajnovic (transfer portal)

Gonzaga waves goodbye to a local icon when Anton Watson graduates this spring. The Gonzaga Prep product went down as one of the program’s winningest and most unselfish players of all time, while his professional approach to the game was evidenced by his defensive versatility and high basketball IQ on the offensive end of the floor.

The 6-foot-8 forward finished his college career as the only player in program history with over 1,400 points, 700 rebounds and 200 assists. His 215 steals are second behind only John Stockton, while his 21 steals in the NCAA Tournament are the most by a Bulldogs player. Watson is also third in games played (151) and wins (132).

There’s no one-for-one replacement for a player like Watson. It’ll take a collective group effort to try to replicate what he brought on and off the court over the course of his five seasons. Perhaps the existing continuity and familiarity on the roster can help in some of the aspects that made Watson so valuable as a player.

Luka Krajnovic and Pavle Stosic seek other opportunities elsewhere after serving limited roles as freshmen. It’s unknown if they would’ve played more minutes next season with the Zags based on how the roster has shaped out thus far in the offseason. 

NEWCOMERS:

F Michael Ajayi (senior)
G Khalif Battle (grad student)
G Cade Orness (freshman)

Few addressed some of the team's biggest weak points from last season — 3-point shooting, depth and all-around scoring ability — by bringing in two highly-touted transfers out of the portal in Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine) and Khalif Battle (Arkansas).

Ajayi, an All-WCC first team player in his first season of Division-I basketball, provides a fresh skillset on the perimeter as a 6-foot-7 wing who shot 47.0% from downtown last season. The Bulldogs, who shot 36.2% on 3-point attempts (second-worst mark in the Few era), could benefit greatly if the Kent, Washington, native can be anywhere near as efficient as he was with the Waves.

Battle, a 6-foot-5 grad transfer, was a major addition for the Zags as a dynamic scorer who averaged 29.6 points and 6.3 rebounds over his last seven games at Arkansas. He's adept at creating foul pressure (213 free-throw attempts last season, second-most in the SEC) and can space the floor as a career 35.3% 3-point shooter.

It’s unclear exactly how Gonzaga’s new talents will fit in with the abundance of returners, though expect Few and the coaching staff to put all the pieces together.