Eligibility Limbo and Conference Shifts Cloud Gonzaga's 2026-27 Outlook
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Head coach Mark Few faces a roster in flux and a new-look Pac-12 as the Bulldogs prepare for the upcoming season.
Gonzaga enters the 2026-27 season facing significant roster uncertainty as head coach Mark Few leads the program into its first year in the Pac-12, as Sports Illustrated first reported. According to the outlet, five of the team's 15 players are currently dealing with eligibility issues.
Legal disputes between the NCAA and the class of 2022 regarding five-in-five rules have left the status of three projected key contributors in question: Florida transfer Xaivian Lee, Florida State transfer Chauncey Wiggins, and Dayton transfer Javon Bennett. While Lee and Wiggins are eligible for now, Sports Illustrated reports that Bennett is currently ineligible following a stayed lawsuit in Ohio.
Further complicating the roster are international commits Nathan de Sousa, a 23-year-old French guard, and Izan Almansa, a 21-year-old Spanish forward. Neither has been cleared to play, though de Sousa is currently in Spokane. Almansa's eligibility is described as more complex due to professional contracts signed in the NBL in Australia, the NBA G League, and with Real Madrid in Spain.
Beyond eligibility, the Zags are monitoring the health of forward Braden Huff, who suffered a knee injury in January 2026. Coach Few stated in August during his Hall of Fame induction that the 6'10 senior is in great shape, and Sports Illustrated notes that the offense is built around Huff's presence at the rim.
Off-court transitions also loom large. After 27 years in the WCC, Few and his staff must adjust to a conference where nearly every opponent is new. While the Zags are considered the most talented team in the Pac-12, Sports Illustrated warns that road games in Fort Collins, Logan, and Boise could be challenging if the team is not prepared for the new conference landscape.