The transfer portal opened on Monday, March 24th and will close on Tuesday, April 22nd. Here are three key names that the Zags are recruiting so far.
The insanity that is the transfer portal has officially opened up. Close to 400 recruits have entered their name in the first day alone. It’s time for Mark Few, Brian Michaelson, R-Jay Barsh, Stephen Gentry, and Zach Norvell Jr. to get to scouting during the offseason.
Gonzaga’s roster will look a whole lot different next season. Besides the departures of all the seniors (Ryan Nembhard, Khalif Battle, Nolan Hickman, Ben Gregg), Dusty Stromer has now put his name in the transfer portal.
Will Braden Huff follow? Will Graham Ike use that extra year of eligibility to return to Spokane for one more run at a national title? How about Michael Ajayi coming back in thanks the NCAA granting junior college an extra year of eligibility for student-athletes who competed at a junior college and would have lost eligibility after the 2024-2025 season. A lot of questions to be answered in the coming months.
Here are some names from around the country that the Zags have reached out to about helping replace all those minutes:
Owen Freeman – Iowa Hawkeyes (6’10 sophomore forward)
2024-25 stats: 16.7 PPG on 63.8 FG%/31.3 3PT%/60.0 FT%, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Potential schools: Gonzaga, Arkansas, Michigan, Creighton
Treysen Eaglestaff – North Dakota Fighting Hawks (6’6 junior guard)
2024-25 stats: 18.9 PPG on 41.6 FG%/35.9 3PT%/79.4 FT%, 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG
Potential schools: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan, Saint John’s, Kansas, LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State, Washington, UCLA, Ole Miss, Syracuse, USC, Minnesota, TCU, Georgia, Wake Forest, South Carolina, Villanova, Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Vanderbilt
Izaiah Pasha – Delaware Blue Huns (6’4 freshman guard)
2024-25 stats: 11.9 PPG on 51.7 FG%/33.3 3PT%/76.9 FT%, 4.2 RPG, 3.9 APG
Potential schools: Gonzaga, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Colorado, Michigan, Providence, Charleston, Xavier, Texas Tech, DePaul, Vanderbilt
Oregon 6’6 sophomore forward Mookie Cook put his name in the portal and had Gonzaga in his final three schools along with Kentucky and the Ducks back in 2022-23. Along with being a former McDonald’s All-American, he starred in the “Shooting Stars” movie which was about LeBron James and his time at Saint Vincent-Saint Mary in Akron, Ohio.
Other intriguing names in the portal out of the West Coast Conference include Washington State Cougars Nate Calamese (6’2 junior guard) along with Isaiah Watts (6’3 sophomore guard), Pepperdine Waves Moe Odum (6’1 junior guard) along with Jaxon Olvera (6’5 freshman guard), Loyola Marymount Lions Jevon Porter Jr. (6’11 junior forward), Portland Pilots Austin Rapp (6’10 freshman forward), and Santa Clara Broncos Christoph Tilly (7’0 junior center). Gonzaga’s coaching staff hasn’t reached out to any of these prospects.
The Zags won’t go after him, but thought it was worth pointing out that Cal State Northridge forward Marcus Adams Jr. has entered the transfer portal once again. The 6’8 sophomore averaged 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds with the Matadors this season. He was a former Kansas Jayhawks signee and Gonzaga commit. Adams Jr. also played with the BYU Cougars last season.
This piece will continue to be updated as more names start to file in throughout the offseason.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho