After Nikolas Khamenia committed to Jon Scheyer and Duke, what’s next for the Zags?
Gonzaga’s Mark Few and his coaching staff have now lost out on three key 2025 recruits. Nikolas Khamenia recently announced that he’s headed to Tobacco Road to join the Duke Blue Devils, Isiah Harwell decided to become a Houston Cougar and Jalen Haralson is on his way to South Bend with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Thankfully, the Zags’ coaching staff have secured the top hooper from the state of Washington.
Few could be losing up to six essential rotation pieces after this season in Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Michael Ajayi, Ben Gregg, Graham Ike and Khalif Battle. What’s the following move?
Right on the top of the list is Kingston Flemings out of San Antonio, Texas. The 6’3, 165-pound true lead guard would be able to find 6’7, 185-pound Davis Fogle for many versatile scoring opportunities as his backcourt counterpart at the two position or out on the wing next season. Fleming’s push of the rock and full-court vision is a perfect match for Few’s high-tempo offense.
The work of Travis Knight in the offseason would put some mass on his small frame as he will need it in order to attack much more colossal rim defense at the next level. Flemings is deciding between Gonzaga, Houston, Texas, Texas Tech and Arkansas. This is a must-have for the 2025-2026 roster.
Gonzaga has no other offers out at the moment. Fogle is the lone commit in the 2025 recruiting class for the Zags. With the start of the high school season just around the corner, more cross-country road trips for assistant coaches Brian Michaelson and R-Jay Barsh are set to be scheduled. Expect fresh names to be popping up on Gonzaga’s radar in the coming months, both domestic as well as international.
The Zags are going to have a tough time competing with the blue bloods and other power conference programs when it comes to high school recruiting for one simple reason. Gonzaga doesn’t have that deep of a Name, Image and Likeness or NIL pocket. But if that is a young recruit’s biggest/final reasoning for not choosing to come to Spokane, then it’s probably best for both parties’ interests to go their separate ways.
In the end, the Zags have found major success in the transfer portal over the years. That source has made the difference for this program through finding veterans from both power conferences and the mid-major level. Expect those to be the type of recruits that will be joining Fogle. Fans won’t be finding out who those players exactly are until the end of this upcoming season.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho