Gonzaga Lost 11 Players and Built a Top-10 Roster Anyway: Here's How

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs gutted their roster this offseason. Eleven players gone from a team that went 31-4 and snagged a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That's not a rebuild, that's demolition. But somehow, some way, the Zags are positioned to be as good or better next season. And it's all because three guys decided to stick around.

Three Returners Who Change Everything

Forward Braden Huff, wing Davis Fogle, and point guard Mario Saint-Supery are not your average college basketball holdovers. This trio ranks among the best group of returners in all of college basketball. According to EvanMiya.com, a major college basketball analytics site, Gonzaga's current roster ranks between 4-9 overall, with an offense between 5-9 and a defense between 7-12. That's elite territory, and it's mostly because these three are staying put.

Saint-Supery projects as Gonzaga's top player, followed by Huff at No. 2 and Fogle at No. 3. The point guard put up 8.6 points and 3.8 assists in 23.1 minutes per game as a freshman while draining 40.3% from three. Both he and Fogle are popular breakout candidates heading into next season.

Huff's Revenge Arc and Fogle's Unlikely Rise

Huff was absolutely cooking before a season-ending knee injury shut him down in mid-January. He was leading Gonzaga in scoring at 17.8 points per game. Now healthy and in his final year of eligibility, expect him to be the focal point of the offense and potentially push 20 points per game.

Fogle's story is wilder. He went from playing exclusively in garbage time to becoming a key rotation piece by season's end. His growth over one year has him primed to take college basketball by storm as a sophomore.

The Transfer Portal Seals It

Keeping your three best players in the modern era is nearly impossible. But Few didn't stop there. Arizona State transfer big man Massamba Diop slots in at No. 4 on the depth chart, averaging 13.6 points in his previous stop. Houston transfer Isiah Harwell comes in at No. 5. Add in freshman trio Jack Kayil, Luca Foster, and Sam Funches at No. 6, 7, and 8, plus redshirt freshman Parker Jefferson at No. 9, and you're looking at a roster that could legitimately compete for a national title.

Few somehow turned catastrophic turnover into a top-10 roster. That's the kind of roster-building wizardry that reminds you why Gonzaga keeps winning in Spokane.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.