Gonzaga rockets up ESPN’s preseason Top 25 after Xaivian Lee addition

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have one of the most talented – and unpredictable – rosters in all of college basketball, with two months until the season officially gets underway.

The foundation of returners Braden Huff and Davis Fogle, as well as transfer center Massamba Diop and wing Isiah Harwell, gives the Zags a high floor thanks to the group’s combination of interior and perimeter defense, low post scoring, and shot creation.

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That quartet, plus a Hall of Fame coach on the sidelines, is enough for Gonzaga to appear in the top 25 of any preseason rankings, regardless of who else is on the roster – which is the big question right now.

Where to rank them?

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few and guard Davis Fogle. | Photo by Erik Smith

Jeff Borzello at ESPN had Gonzaga clinging to a spot at No. 25 in his previous preseason rankings, citing concern about guard depth and perimeter scoring.

But on Wednesday, he released an update to those rankings – factoring in the class of 2022 – and Gonzaga rocketed up to No. 13, the second biggest leap after Texas Tech – which went from unranked to No. 9.

That shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as the Zags addressed their biggest issues by securing a pair of 5th-year senior point guards in Javon Bennett (Dayton) and Xaivian Lee (Florida) while also landing sharpshooter Chauncey Wiggins, a 6’10 forward who shot 39% from three on six attempts per game last year at Florida State.

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Replacing the surprise departure of Mario Saint-Supery with Lee is a massive, massive win for Few and the coaching staff, giving them an elite playmaker and pick-and-roll threat who excels at getting downhill and finishing at the rim in traffic – a skill Gonzaga lacked in the backcourt last year.

Adding Lee and Wiggins to the lineup alongside Fogle, Huff, and Diop gives the Zags one of the best starting fives in the entire country, and Bennett is an excellent change-of-pace PG who can also hit from the outside.

This roster is arguably top 10…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/gonzaga-rockets-espns-preseason-top-191600946.html

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Publish date : 2026-09-03 19:16:00

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