Gonzaga basketball is finally back as it’s time to pack up the Kennel for the first time in the 2025-26 season. Fans look forward to this event every year as it’s their first opportunity to get their eyes on the new squad, the newest Zags from the incoming high school/international recruiting class, as well as the transfer portal haul.
With that last part being said, 2024 Western Athletic Player of the Year and Grand Canyon Antelopes transfer Tyon Grant-Foster will not be available to play. The NCAA granted the star wing a practice waiver, finally being allowed to make his way to the Pacific Northwest. Expect Grant-Foster to be spotted on the bench in street clothes.
Here are some key talking points to pay attention to while watching the Kraziness:
First experience of Mario Saint-Supery in Spokane
Combo guard Mario Saint-Supery is a star in the making. Fans are going to fall in love with his fluidity and natural feel for the game, making an immediate impact for coach Mark Few.
The Gonzaga leader told Spokesman-Review’s Theo Lawson that “Mario’s going to play,” and he’s been well-known to start two point guards at the same time in the past. Just take a look at Nigel Williams-Goss and Josh Perkins in 2016-17, as well as Jalen Suggs and Andrew Nembhard in 2020-21, which were both years the Zags made a national championship appearance. That doesn’t seem to be the case at first this season with true point guard Braeden Smith and Saint-Supery, but it could be very likely down the road.
He’s going to be in the best in-game shape and with some of the most basketball experience under his belt, having played with the Spain senior national team at the FIBA EuroBasket over the summer and professional basketball overseas with Unicaja Malaga from 2022-25. Saint-Supery has drawn comparisons to Spanish legend Ricky Rubio, both basketball IQs off the charts. He’s a much more crafty scorer than Rubio, on and off the ball, and is ready for the big moments at the ripe age of 19 years old.
The dynamic frontcourt duo of Graham Ike and Braden Huff
This is the beginning of center Graham Ike’s run at the All-American campaign that has been talked about all offseason. The graduate student is in his last season as the big man on campus, with forward Braden Huff by his side on the low block. Huff continues to grow into a larger role as his Gonzaga career has gone along, being trusted with more and more responsibility. His production value has shot up since joining the team and redshirting in 2023-24.
These two are going to feed off one another, a 1-2 punch, especially in those high-low actions. Ike has only expanded his skill set since stepping onto campus back in 2023, coming off a season where he averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on an effective 59.8 percent from the field (No. 15 highest in all of college basketball in 2024-25).
The question surrounding Ike is if he can keep his anger in check, not get into foul trouble, and stay on the floor as long as possible.
The depth out on the wing
How much of an impact will the 2023 Big Sky Player of the Year and current graduate student Steele Venters make this season after missing back-to-back seasons (torn ACL in right knee in 2023-24, Achilles tendon injury in 2024-25)? He most likely sees his playing time acting as a spot-up shooter, catch-and-shoot option at the three spot, sometimes at the four when going small. Just staying healthy is the name of the game with him.
Florida State Seminoles and Virginia Cavaliers transfer Jalen Warley is going to come in handy in random spots throughout the season, with the redshirt senior being plugged in for certain defensive situations or specific assignments against opposing high-level scoring threats.
Junior Emmanuel Innoncenti loves this event as his coming-out party to the Gonzaga community came in last year’s Kraziness in the Kennel. He has the most experience out on the wing in coach Mark Few’s system and will be relied upon heavily for his defensive pedigree, similar to Warley.
This specific position on the defensive side of the floor dictates just how far into the Big Dance this season’s roster can go.
How Braeden Smith and Adam Miller mesh with each other as backcourt partners
Redshirt junior Braeden Smith, the 2024 Patriot League Player of the Year and Colgate Raiders transfer who redshirted this past season, will be the one calling the shots with this offense. He has big shoes to fill after the Nembhard brothers, but he’s up for the challenge after learning the ins and outs of the system behind Ryan Nembhard at the lead guard spot.
The Zags scored 606 points in transition in 2024-25. Expect the pace to push even quicker, faster under the control of Smith. Would love to see the ‘four seconds or less’ offense in effect even more often. Coming off the defensive rebound, hit the outlet, and push the gas on the fastbreak.
Arizona State Sun Devils transfer Adam Miller should be the favorite to win the three-point contest this weekend. The sharp-shooting graduate student has had his ups and downs with his consistency to hit from deep throughout his lengthy collegiate career, but he’s coming off his most impressive shooting marks at a 44.9 field goal percentage and staggering 42.9 three-point percentage.
This is Miller’s last chance at a deep run in March Madness. He only has one NCAA Tournament win with the Illinois Fighting Illini in 2021, never making the Big Dance with the LSU Tigers and Arizona State from 2022-25.
What does the future hold for Davis Fogle and Parker Jefferson
The pair of freshman from the 2026 recruiting class won’t see a ton of playing time in their first go-around in Spokane, but it will be a learning/growing experience for both.
Four-star wing Fogle has a chance to be the offensive focal point of this program in the later years of his tenure; he just has to stick true to himself and wait for his turn. This is the right place for three-star center Jefferson, given how well Gonzaga’s track record has been with developing post players over the last two decades or so. Wouldn’t be surprised if he ultimately decides to redshirt, due to the extent of the frontcourt in Ike, Huff, and sophomore center Ismaila Diagne.
2026 recruit Sam Funches is in the house
The coaching staff has been high on four-star center Sam Funches since the beginning. They see him as being a key player with this program and someone they can continue to mold.
The Zags seemed to have stood out during Funches’ recruitment process, having been in daily contact with him the past couple of months. Besides Gonzaga, the leftie Madison, Mississippi native will also be deciding between the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, and LSU Tigers.
Four-star wing Herly Brutus from The Villages, Florida, in the 2026 recruiting class will no longer be in attendance at Kraziness after he recently committed to LSU.
The fun starts at the McCarthey Athletic Center at 4 p.m. PT on Saturday, October 4th. Doors open at 3 p.m. PT. The event will be streamed on SWXLocalSports.com and on delay locally on SWX at 7:30 p.m. PT. It includes player and coaching staff introductions, a three-point contest, and other activities (doesn’t sound like a dunk contest will occur, which is a damn shame once again). The Blue-White scrimmage concludes all the action on the court.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
