The Gonzaga Bulldogs have set themselves up for next season and beyond throughout the 2024 transfer portal cycle.
After landing Arkansas grad transfer Khalif Battle, 6-foot-7 wing Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine and Tarleton State transfer Emmaneul Innocenti for the 2024-25 season, Mark Few shored up the future of his backcourt by bringing in Colgate transfer Braeden Smith, a 6-foot-tall guard who plans to redshirt next season.
Smith, a Seattle native who starred at Seattle Prep, committed to Gonzaga over Davidson, Washington and Cal.
According to EvanMiya.com, he was the No. 6 available transfer in the portal at the time of his commitment. As a sophomore at Colgate, Smith averaged 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds.
As the team’s leading scorer, Smith guided the Raiders (25-10, 16-2 PL) to the program’s fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament this past season.
He scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in a first-round loss to Baylor. In the 2023 postseason, Smith scored six points, snatched four boards and had two steals in an opening-round defeat to Texas.
Few is bringing back four of his five starters next season, in addition to Braden Huff, Dusty Stromer, Jun Seok Yeo, Steele Venters, Joe Few and Joaqim Aruz-Moore.
Those 10 holdovers account for 81.4% of the minutes played last season, which would be the program’s highest return rate in nearly 20 seasons.
All of the firepower that returns to Spokane, in addition to Few’s transfer portal acquisitions, has many in the national media picking the Bulldogs to be a top-10 team next season.
Looking even further ahead, the Zags could be in prime position to make another deep run in the tournament with Smith at the helm once Hickman and Nembhard graduate.
