Gonzaga’s Portal Patience: Why the Zags Are Waiting — and Who Might Be Worth the Wait

Here are some high-value backcourt additions that could make a lot of sense for Gonzaga in 2025-26.

Gonzaga hasn’t made a splash in the transfer portal yet — aside from losing a few dudes — and while that radio silence might raise eyebrows among some fans, there’s little reason to panic. Over the last five to 10 years, few coaches in college basketball have worked the portal with more precision than Mark Few.

With Graham Ike and Braden Huff both officially returning to Spokane next season, Gonzaga’s frontcourt is locked and loaded. Add in Colgate transfer Braeden Smith at point guard — who redshirted behind Ryan Nembhard — and three of the starting five spots are essentially spoken for.

That leaves the wing and shooting-guard spots as the final puzzle pieces.

At the three, Gonzaga has a few options: Steele Venters (still awaiting his debut after two consecutive seasons ended by injury before they even began), Florida State transfer Jalen Warley (long, athletic, unproven, not a high-level bucket-getter), Emmanuel Innocenti (defensive menace, offensive question mark with high upside), and incoming freshman Davis Fogle (6’7”, sweet stroke, real upside, but young). There’s depth — but not certainty.

What Gonzaga needs for their 2025-26 campaign is an experienced, proven two-guard.

The departure of Nolan Hickman leaves a major hole, and one does not simply replace a 4-year system guy with experience at multiple positions and veteran leadership to boot. The Zags don’t just need a shooter. They also need a leader. A grown-up. Someone who can step in and stabilize a young core and play 30+ minutes per night. And if that’s not possible they need consistent guaranteed scoring, night after night, and someone who can bring the same kind of spark, dribble-drive foul pressure, and joyful chaos Khalif Battle brought to the table. Maturity, size, and shooting touch are the priority, but upside and athleticism go a long way if that well’s tapped.

So far, bigger names like Cedric Coward (Washington State), Andrej Stojaković (Cal), and Jordan Ross (Saint Mary’s) have already been linked to the Zags. But while Gonzaga has reached out to these and other high-profile targets, the program’s recent success in the portal hasn’t come from winning bidding wars. It’s come from waiting.

Few plays the long game. He’d rather find the next Malachi Smith or Rasir Bolton at the 11th hour than overpay for PJ Haggerty, and he’s right to do so.

The following is a breakdown of five transfer off-ball guards — some buzzy, some criminally overlooked — who offer the kind of shooting, size, spark, and leadership Gonzaga needs. A couple of them might cost a little. One or two might come cheap. But all of them make sense. And in Spokane, that’s what matters.

1. Trent McLaughlin – Northern Arizona

6’6”, 200 pounds | Graduate Transfer

2024–25 stats: 22.1 PPG, 3.4 APG, 42.3% FG, 34.6% 3PT, 36.8 MPG

If Gonzaga’s looking for the best value pick in the portal — the guy who checks every box at the two — it’s Trent McLaughlin.

The 6’6”, 200-pound grad transfer averaged 22.1 points per game this past season while logging nearly 37 minutes a night for Northern Arizona. He dropped 34 on Montana, 35 on Idaho, and 26 against Pepperdine — the dude is a certified bucket and his ability to stretch the floor would be the ideal complement to the absolute POWERHOUSE frontcourt the Zags will have locked and loaded this year.

He shot 42.3% from the field and a respectable 34.6% from deep, even with every defense in the Big Sky gearing up to stop him. Drop him into a system like Gonzaga’s, with actual spacing and no pressure to carry the offense? He could thrive.

There’s also a built-in Gonzaga connection: NAU associate head coach Gary Bell Jr. — my personal all-time favorite Zag — has been working with McLaughlin for the last year. Bell’s connection to Gonzaga could mean positive momentum for McLaughlin’s journey to the Kennel, fingers crossed. McLaughlin has the size, scoring instincts, and maturity to step in and contribute right away. If the Zags want an efficient, fearless scorer with a real connection to the program, this is the move.

2. Ali Dibba – Southern Illinois

6’5”, 205 pounds | Senior (One year of eligibility remaining)

2024–25 stats: 17.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 49% FG, 33% 3PT

The 6’5” Swedish senior out of Southern Illinois is easily one of the highest value-adds in the portal. Word on the street is that he’s already heard from Vanderbilt and Penn State, but Gonzaga would be the perfect next stop for him. A muscular, downhill scorer who thrives at getting into the teeth of the defense and then locking down ball-handlers on the other end, Dibba put up 17.2 points per game this past season — including a 30-point explosion against Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals.

He’s not a knockdown shooter from three (33%), but he brings size, toughness, and dribble-drive scoring pressure to the backcourt. He led the Salukis in both points and steals while routinely shouldering 35+ minutes a night, showing both durability and resilience. The dude would be an absolute steal for the Zags.

3. Keith Higgins Jr. – Lehigh

6’4”, 200 pounds | Graduate Transfer

2024–25 stats (12 games): 17.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 46.3% FG, 43% 3PT

If Gonzaga is searching for a low-profile guard with elite efficiency and real scoring upside, Keith Higgins Jr. should be near the top of the list. Though it comes with a caveat.

A 6’4”, 200-pound senior from Lehigh, Higgins was off to a stellar start last season before a season-ending injury cut things short. In just 12 games, he averaged 17.9 points and 5 rebounds while shooting an ultra-efficient 46.3% from the field and a blistering 43% from deep. He wasn’t just padding stats against weak competition, either — Higgins dropped 24 points on Dayton and poured in 22 against Georgetown, including 4-of-7 from three.

He’s a proven scorer, a consistent outside shooter, and a composed presence with real offensive polish. If he’s recovered — and all signs suggest he’s well on track — Higgins would be a seamless system fit at Gonzaga. It’s a dice roll based on his injury history, but we also said that about Graham Ike at one point. He doesn’t need a ton of touches to impact the game, and his ability to space the floor while playing smart, tough basketball makes him an ideal veteran addition.

He’s not going to generate headlines — not yet — but if Few is looking to pull another late-cycle gem from the shadows, Keith Higgins Jr. might be the one.

4. Mister Dean – South Carolina Upstate

6’6”, 210 pounds | Freshman

2024–25 stats: 15.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 57.2% FG, 24.4% 3PT

Yes, his name is Mister Dean — and yes, that’s absolutely worth your attention. But the real reason he’s on this list is that he’s a 6’6”, 210-pound freshman who just averaged nearly 16 points and 5.5 boards per game while shooting over 57% from the field. That’s not a typo.

Dean just wrapped his first season at South Carolina Upstate, and while he’s still extremely raw and untested against high-major competition, his upside is as real as it gets. If you watched him play last year it was a mystery throughout the broadcast as to what a player as skilled and athletic as him was even doing at South Carolina Upstate in the first place. He’s long, explosive, fearless, and looks the part of a future pro — potentially a one-and-done type had he been on a bigger stage from the jump. His outside shot (24.4% from deep) is still developing, but everything else — the frame, the bounce, the motor — screams long-term payoff.

He’s already drawn interest from programs like Memphis, but as of now, he remains on the board.

For Gonzaga, Dean would be a curveball. He’s not a proven veteran like Malachi Smith or Khalif Battle. He’s not the plug-and-play, system-ready leader the Zags have relied on in the past. But if Few is open to playing the long game — and sees value in investing in a high-ceiling athlete with positional size — Mister Dean might be worth the flyer.

Besides, if nothing else… imagine the PA announcer saying “Mister Dean for three.” You want that in your life.

5. (bonus pick, because why not?) Jordan Ross – Saint Mary’s

6’3”, 190 pounds | Junior

2024–25 stats: 8.3 PPG, 2.4 APG, 38% FG, 29.3% 3PT, 27.0 MPG

Jordan Ross is one of the most sought-after guards in the portal right now — and he’s earned that spotlight. Personally, I don’t see the appeal, but I’m also wrong about a lot of stuff. To his credit, he started all 35 games for a Saint Mary’s team that finished 29–6, showing major growth as a sophomore and flashing NBA-caliber potential with a 19-point outing against Arizona State.

He’s smart, composed, and has shown he can run within a rigid, slow, joyless, plodding, migraine-inducing, offensive system. The Zags ain’t the Gaels, however, and the question is fit. Coming off a season shooting just 29.3% from three, Ross might not bring the immediate outside threat Gonzaga’s backcourt needs. And with reports that he’s looking for a sizable NIL deal, he may not be the value play the Zags typically prioritize.

Still — poaching a starter from Randy Bennett’s backcourt would be hilarious. And if the money works and the shot develops, Ross could be a long-term win assuming his upward trajectory holds.

I was really hoping for Mikey Lewis, but Jordan Ross could also carve out a space for himself in Spokane now that his time as a Gael has gone the way of the Mahaney.

Final Word: Value Over Flash, Fit Over Fame

While other programs empty their wallets chasing the biggest names, Gonzaga is still a mid-major with a comparatively modest NIL package at its disposal. The key is to stay patient, waiting for the right pieces to reveal themselves. With Graham Ike and Braden Huff returning to anchor the frontcourt — and serious optimism around redshirt points guard Braeden Smith — the foundation is in place. What’s missing is backcourt experience, consistent 3-pt production, and someone who can lead from the perimeter.

The players listed here aren’t all household names, but they check the boxes Gonzaga actually cares about: size, efficiency, maturity, and upside. Whether it’s a proven scorer like Trent McLaughlin, a high-ceiling athlete like Mister Dean, or a do-it-all grinder like Ali Dibba, there’s still real talent on the board. And if history is any guide, Gonzaga’s next great portal story won’t be the loudest name — just the smartest one.