Gonzaga Bulldogs in the NBA: 2026 Playoffs Report

13 former Gonzaga Bulldogs suited up in the NBA this season, setting a new program record. As the 2026 playoffs get underway, seven of them punched postseason tickets, with one more agonizingly close to joining them. From a reigning champion hunting a repeat to a journeyman veteran soaking up garbage minutes on the hottest team in basketball, the Zag pipeline has never looked deeper. Here’s where every former Bulldog stands as the playoff race starts heating up.

Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder | Western Conference Finals

OKC swept Phoenix in the first round, and then ran through and swept the Lakers in four (LeBron’s team never led a single game at any point). They’re now sitting in the Western Conference Finals at 8-0 waiting on whoever survives Spurs-Wolves. The defending champs are doing exactly what defending champs are supposed to do.

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The Thunder were the #1 seed for the second straight year, Holmgren was a first-time All-Star and DPOY finalist, and he signed a five-year $240 million max extension last July. His regular-season line was 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and a team-high 1.9 blocks across 69 starts.

His playoff numbers are actually better than last year’s championship run: 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 60% from the floor, compared to 15.2 and 8.7 boards across 23 games in 2025. The signature moment came in Game 2 against the Lakers when OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander landed in foul trouble in the third. Holmgren took over in his absence and finished with 22 points and nine boards. OKC won by 18.

Only two former Zags have ever won a ring (Adam Morrison and Austin Daye), and neither played a meaningful role for their respective squads. If Holmgren and the Thunder hoist the championship trophy once again, he’ll be the first former Bulldog to win back-to-back titles while actually playing a meaningful role: big minutes on a big contract as the second-best player on the best team in the sport.

Kelly Olynyk | San Antonio Spurs | SAS leads MIN 3-2

Thirteen years in the league. Seven teams. Kelly Olynyk has seen everything, and this season he landed on the best roster of…

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Publish date : 2026-05-15 18:44:00

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