Gonzaga Basketball 2025-26 Report Cards

Now that it’s been over a week since our Zags' 2025-26 season ended, it's time to first look back before we see what's ahead. This was one of the strangest seasons we have seen in Spokane in a long time, yet somehow we still got to see a conference championship, 30 wins, and yet another season getting out of the Round of 64. Still, having no second-weekend appearance for a second straight year can't help but leave us wondering where things went wrong, who stood out, who fell short, and who could get us back into the second weekend and beyond.

Ismaila Diagne - SO 7'0

Diagne had hoped to take the next step like bigs before him have in their second and third seasons. Just think of Sam Dower, Kelly Olynyk, and even Braden Huff. Unfortunately, though, Diagne did not take that leap; even with extended runs due to injuries, he struggled to make a positive impact on the court for the Bulldogs. Really, the only games that stood out were Seattle and Pepperdine, where his work on the boards saw him grabbing 8 and 10 rebounds. Still, even with 20-minute runs, he failed to hit the 5pt mark. Watching and going to the games, you can tell he loves the Zags' culture and he gets the love back, so it will be interesting to see what he decides this offseason.

Season Highlight: 

January 21st vs. Pepperdine: 10 rebounds in 20 minutes

Steele Venters - SR 6'7

For Steele, this season could without a doubt be seen as a win in the sense that he stayed healthy, a big hurdle since two major injuries took away back-to-back years. For Venters early on in the season, you could see the rust and flashes of the Eastern Washington sharpshooter, but the shot just never found the hoop at a consistent rate. This led to fewer and fewer rotational minutes, and even falling completely out of the rotation as others excelled. Again, coming off two major injuries, you have to wonder if he will get back to that level again; still, on a team that needed a major 3pt lift, Steele just never could give it to us.

Season Highlight: 

December 21st vs. Oregon: 14pts, 4-5 3FG

Braeden Smith - JR 6'0

The Colgate transfer was ready to take the keys after sitting behind Ryan Nembhard the year before. After shaking off the rust, he showed some flashes with early big games, even stepping up with the lion's share of minutes while Mario Saint-Supery was sick. Still, though, he eventually lost his starting job to Mario, seeing his minutes dwindle in the later part of the year. Now, I wouldn't call this a disappointment by any means; it was more so Mario stealing the job with exceptional play late. Smith provided quality minutes, and though maybe not to the level he himself wants or expects, he is still a backup PG many major programs would take in a heartbeat.

Season Highlight: 

December 21st vs. Oregon: 21pts, 7ast, 7-10 FG

Adam Miller - SR 6'3

The transfer from Arizona State, who came off an insane shooting season of 43% from 3, just never found that rhythm with the Zags. Only shooting 30% from 3FG on the season, Miller just didn't live up to the expectations he had coming in as a sharpshooter who could help spread the floor for the potential All-American bigs. While he did still provide sparks where he could, overall, the consistency just wasn't there.

Season Highlight: 

February 14th vs. Santa Clara: 21pts, 2-4 3FG

Tyon Grant-Foster - SR 6'7

Tyon had one of the most stressful offseasons anyone could have, with the answer of whether he’d be able to play or not only coming the week before the regular season tipped off. Given all that he has been through in his life and basketball career, you can't help but feel good for him that he got one last ride, a conference championship, and a tournament run. Similar to Venters, it’s tough to be too hard on Tyon considering all of the outside factors. He showed some great flashes of brilliance but also had some tough showings. You hope he can find more of an outside shot in his pro career moving forward.

Season Highlight: 

November 24th vs. Alabama: 21pts, 9-16 FG, 7 REB

Emmanuel Innocenti - JR 6'5

Innocenti is kind of a tough grade. He isn't expected to be a scorer, so you can't really fault his lack of scoring punch. He did break out for a few games, though, stepping up when needed; for instance, in the St. Mary's game, he hit some big shots. Defensively, he really hit his stride, and guarding without fouling was very impressive. For him to take that next step, though, he does need to find a scoring capability.

Season Highlight: 

January 31st vs. St. Mary's: 10pts, 5reb, 2-4 3FG

Davis Fogle - FR 6'7

Fogle went from the top recruit to one of the top contributors in such a short time period. While some injuries led to him getting a full chance, it is one of those glass-half-full scenarios. Davis getting these minutes will prove to be pivotal in his development, no doubt about it, and in this current climate, it may be crucial to keeping him out of the portal. Fogle had a great season, showing the maturity to improve his skills for the college game on the fly as the team needed him most.

Season Highlight: 

January 24th vs. San Francisco: 15pts, 9reb

Mario Saint-Supery - FR 6'3

Lil Principito! The young Spanish guard came to Spokane this summer with high expectations and found a way to meet them. He started the season with a bang before an illness brought it to a halt. Once he was fully a "go" again, though, he refound that momentum, taking over the PG position and helping lead the team to a conference championship as a freshman. The next step will be to further develop his shooting skills and stay out of foul trouble. He is primed to be the PG1 for next year and hopes to put himself among other names in Gonzaga guard lore.

Season Highlight: 

WCC Championship vs. Santa Clara: 21pts, 6-12 3FG, 5reb, 4ast

Braden Huff - JR 6'10

Huff was a huge part of the team's success the prior two years but often felt like he was in the shadow of others. This season, he came in as "the guy" along with Graham Ike, and he did not disappoint from Game 1, leading the nation in field goal efficiency. Then bad luck hit as he fell to an injury in practice that ended his season about 17 games short, leaving most Zags fans asking "what if?" His play beforehand, though, showed he can live up to the All-American hype; his shot also looks to be expanding further out, which could make his game even deadlier. Expected to be fully healthy for offseason workouts, Huff looks to be the big man on campus again, so Zags fans rejoice in his awaited return.

Season Highlight: 

December 17th vs Campbell: 37pts, 8reb, 16-18FGs

Jalen Warley - SR 6'6

One of the more surprising players this season, I believe. He joined as a transfer last year from Virginia, even practicing with the team. Still, his role felt very undefined, but right away he showed his skill set was not only truly unique but elite. Not only was he amazing in his role, he stayed true to it, not even attempting a 3pt shot. He really was beginning to get into a groove before the thigh injury. I wish someway, somehow, we could have Jalen for one more year, as he is the player every championship team wants, he does all the little things and defends the hell out of the ball. Yes, the jumpshot isn't there, but don't be shocked if Warley finds himself on an NBA roster someday soon.

Season Highlight: 

Round of 64 vs. Kennesaw St: 12pts, 12reb, 5ast, 3stl

Graham Ike - SR 6'9

Ike did everything and more for this squad. He was content being Batman to our other Batman early in the season with Huff. Then, when Huff went down, he took his game to another level; while most teams falter and fade away after losing a near 20pt-per-game scorer, the Zags continued to fight for victories. Even when teams were doubling down on him, he still found a way to dominate the game and be the true difference-maker for a conference championship team. You can't help but feel for him, as he gave so much to this school; he is one of the guys you just wish could have also gotten to a Final Four or further like past Zags. Similar to Warley, though he's undersized for his position, don't be surprised to see Ike playing in the league very soon.

Season Highlight: 

January 8th vs. Santa Clara: 34pts, 11reb, 77% FG

In a season that fell short of what has become the yearly expectation of Sweet 16s or further, the Zags still accomplished so much as individuals and as a team. A Round of 32 appearance, 31 wins, and a conference championship is nothing to throw away. We have been spoiled as fans, but we still have to appreciate what we are witnessing year in and year out. Now the focus will shift to the 2026-27 roster makeup, needing to hold onto our guys while bringing in the talent to burst onto the PAC-12 scene in the right direction and get back into the second weekend and beyond in March. Next up: look for potential transfer targets this offseason, as this is the official capstone on 2025-26.