Gonzaga was able to acquire “different aspects” and rebuild their roster around a returning core than any other team, thanks to strategic transfer portal activities.
When he reunites with Team USA in Las Vegas in a few weeks to begin training for the Summer Olympics, Mark Few will have a lot on his plate. However, the Gonzaga coach shouldn’t be too concerned about the state of his program back home in Spokane as he embarks on an international tour that will take him to London and Abu Dhabi before landing in Paris in late July.
The group’s returning core is largely responsible for early rankings that rank Gonzaga as one of the top five teams heading into the 2024–25 college basketball season, but Few’s faith in the squad he will rejoin this August after finishing his Olympic duties also comes from a transfer class that was carefully chosen to cover a number of holes and gaps.
“The finest thing at a press conference held at McCarthey Athletic Center on Tuesday, Few stated, “I believe that we added pieces that bring different aspects to the program that we don’t have during this offseason.”
The Zags got to work in the transfer portal earlier than they ever have under Few, picking up a commitment from Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi on March 26 – roughly 72 hours before GU took on top-seeded Purdue in the Sweet 16 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Ajayi went through the NBA Draft process, and impressed as one of 78 players invited to the NBA Combine, but ultimately decided to put a career in professional basketball on the backburner and withdrew his name from the Draft just hours before the 9 p.m. PT deadline on May 29.
An athletic, high-upside wing from Kent who led the WCC in scoring (17.9 ppg) and finished second in rebounding (9.9 rpg) last season, Ajayi arrived in Spokane last week and has already gone through a handful of summer workouts with his new team week and has already participated in a few summer training sessions with his new squad.
Few remarked, “Those things really turn out the way they should, whether they go or stay or whatever, because we had great communication.” He ultimately made a wise choice because to our excellent communication. With everyone in agreement, he received excellent feedback, gained valuable experience from attending the Combine, and completed numerous workouts. Now that he is back, he has had a few practices and is performing admirably.
May 5 was another important date for Gonzaga’s offseason rebuilding efforts. The explosive guard from Arkansas, Khalif Battle, who averaged 26.6 points over the last nine games of the SEC season, declared he was deciding to attend the University of Gonzaga, selecting Few’s program for his sixth and final year of eligibility over Villanova and Kansas State.
“Khalif’s going to help us a bunch. He’s different,” Few said. “His ability to get fouled is at the highest level I think in college basketball. … Just to have that kind of guy he’s a different kind of body than we have on the wing, so I think he’ll being all of that.”
Battle’s 213 free throws attempted, or 6.7 FTA per game, would’ve led the West Coast Conference last season. By comparison, Gonzaga’s free throw leader in 2023-24, Graham Ike, only shot 134 free throws in 35 games.
Whether he’s the third guard in a small-ball starting lineup alongside returners Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman or a dynamic scorer off the bench, the 6-foot-5 Battle gives the Zags a look they didn’t have last season as a bigger guard who’s able to create off the dribble, shoot from the perimeter and make frequent trips to the foul line season as a larger guard with dribbling ability, outside shooting ability, and a propensity for fouling out.
“I think he recognized that and we communicated that,” Few said. “That’s what we needed him for. So it was something, we had a need and he was looking for a program like this that wanted him and needed him, so it worked out perfect.”
Gonzaga’s transfer class also includes forward Emmanuel Innocenti, a defensive ace from Tarleton State, and point guard Braeden Smith, who’s vowed to redshirt in 2024-25 and would likely only see the court in an emergency situation.
Innocenti could also be more of a future investment for a GU team that’s particularly deep at the wing/forward positions and the sophomore is one of two players not currently on campus, along with recent signee Ismaila Diagne.
Smith, who also went to Washington, California, and Davidson, accepted the notion of playing as a redshirt after taking home Patriot League player of the year awards and leading Colgate to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament participation.
Few remarked, “Emmanuel is still doing some stuff with their team over in Italy.” “With Braeden, like before, there was excellent communication and openness about what was available, but there was also anticipation for our roster and what will be available next year. To his credit, I believe he has a broad perspective and chose to proceed as planned. There, so far, so good.
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