College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 19 Gonzaga Bulldogs

Top-25 College Basketball: Gonzaga Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, roles and overall player performance, head to RotoWire's latest college basketball news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.

19. Gonzaga

The Zags won the West Coast Conference Tournament last season but only received an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament and failed to reach the second weekend for the first time since 2014. They will lose some key contributors from last year's team, most notably Ryan Nembhard, who led the nation at 9.8 APG. 

That said, Gonzaga will return leading scorer Graham Ike, who averaged 17.3 PPG and 7.3 RPG. He'll pair up in the frontcourt alongside Braden Huff who averaged 11 PPG in just 16.5 MPG last season. 

The new man with the keys to the offense will be Braeden Smith who redshirted last season. In 2023-24 he put up 12.5 PPG, 5.6 APG, 5.5 RPG and 1.9 SPG at Colgate. He practiced with Nembhard all of last season and will certainly have gotten a lot of good tips on how to run coach Mark Few's offensive system. 

Smith will work in the backcourt alongside veteran Adam Miller who will be on his fourth different school. Miller shot a career-high 43 percent from behind the arc last season at Arizona State. 

The final piece to this added to this squad was Tyon Grant-Foster who is one of the most dynamic athletes in the entire country. He averaged 20.1 and 14.8 PPG the last two years at Grand Canyon, while also putting up 1.7 SPG and 1.5 BPG in each of those seasons. Grant-Foster still needs a waiver, but should it be granted, he completely changes the outlook of this team. 

Jalen Warley and Steele Venters are both coming off redshirt years and should help provide solid options off the bench on the wings. Venters has missed the last two years with knee an Achilles injuries, but he was a 15+ PPG scorer and a career 40 percent three-point shooter before going down. 

Top-40 recruit Davis Fogle could be the X-factor. The 6-7 jumbo guard has the tools to be a special player with Mark Few's help. Gonzaga will have a lot of turnover, but there's plenty to be excited about here. 

Check out how injuries are affecting the status of other players & teams on RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

2025-26 Gonzaga Basketball Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Braeden Smith (12.5 PPG, 5.6 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG in 2023-24 at Colgate)

SG: Adam Miller (9.8 PPG, 1.9 3PM at Arizona State)

SF: Tyon Grant-Foster (14.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 1.5 BPG at Grand Canyon)

PF: Graham Ike (17.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG)

C: Braden Huff (11.0 PPG)

Key Reserves: Jalen Warley (7.5 PPG, 2.8 APG in 2023-24 at Florida State), Davis Fogle (No. 33 in ESPN 100), Steele Venters (Redshirt), Emmanuel Innocenti (1.7 PPG), Ismaila Diagne (3.4 PPG), Parker Jefferson (3-star Freshman)

Following another active transfer portal period, RotoWire's college basketball depth charts are updated with the latest in roster movement.

2025-26 Full Preseason College Basketball Top-25

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7. Louisville Cardinals
8. Michigan Wolverines
9. BYU Cougars
10. UConn Huskies
11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
12. Auburn Tigers
13. Arkansas Razorbacks
14. UCLA Bruins
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
16. Iowa State Cyclones
17. Arizona Wildcats
18. Michigan State Spartans
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
20. Kansas Jayhawks
21. Tennessee Volunteers
22. North Carolina Tar Heels
23. Oregon Ducks
24. Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Wisconsin Badgers