Ben Gregg on why Gonzaga’s ‘brotherhood’ stayed together: ‘I don’t think anyone even thought about leaving’ cause Zags have a loving coach….

Ben Gregg on why Gonzaga’s ‘brotherhood’ stayed together: ‘I don’t think anyone even thought about leaving’ cause Zags have a loving coach….

The Gonzaga men’s basketball program stands out in the modern world of college athletics, where player mobility and league reorganization are constants and continuity is few.

All was quiet in Spokane during the offseason, while programs nationwide combed through the transfer portal, trying to start from scratch with their squad. The men’s basketball social media team revealed that, yes, there are instances when bad news is good news as the May 1 deadline for portal entries passed. Seven of the top eight scorers from the Sweet 16 team from the previous season were returning for a second chance in 2024–25, including four of the five starters and ten players overall from a 27-8 team that won 15 games of its last 18 games.

In regards to Gonzaga’s roster being intact, Ben Gregg remarked, “I don’t think anyone even thought about leaving.” We were all unwilling to leave. We were aware that our creation of the Sweet 16 the previous year was truly unique. We said, “I think we can make a run at it this year if we have the same group coming back and get a couple new guys in.”

These hopes were realized when Mark Few and the coaching staff added veteran players to the rotation, giving the roster a wider range of skill levels. Michael Ajayi is a 6-foot-7 wing who transferred from Pepperdine. He provides size and outside shooting, as he shot 47.0% from three last season. Khalif Battle, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, is a different kind of scorer than Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard. So does 6-foot-5 guard Emmanuel Innocenti, who played defense for Tarleton State as a freshman.

The facts support the increased firepower: Battle has scored over 1,300 points in his career and averaged 29.6 points in his final seven games with the Razorbacks; Ajayi led the West Coast Conference in scoring at 17.2 points per game. Both are expected to be important players in the Bulldogs’ fast-paced attack, but Gregg has noticed a noticeable difference in their defensive efforts thus far in practice.

Gregg stated of Ajayi and Battle, “I think what stands out the most is just how good they are defensively.” Both Michael and KB are exceptionally athletic and strong. That group entering our system to provide some defensive support will be really beneficial. Gregg is adjusting to a new leadership role as the new guys learn Gonzaga’s system. The 6-foot-10 forward is the team member with the longest tenure, and as a rising senior, his voice is heard more in practice than it was in his rookie and sophomore years. Gregg hasn’t always been good at speaking up, but over the years, Corey Kispert and Anton Watson have taught him how to take on the role.

“The biggest thing for me [this offseason] is kind of growing into that leadership role,” Gregg said. Being more outspoken is something I’ve found challenging. I need to take on more of a leadership position now that I’m sort of in that senior level.”