The 2026-27 college basketball season is over four months away, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs are already getting the fans hyped by posting first looks at the team’s talented newcomers.
Gonzaga took to social media this week to highlight team workouts taking place on campus, which included first looks at both Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell.
Advertisement
The team also posted a short video clip of 4-star center Sam Funches, one of four incoming freshmen on the roster alongside 4-star wing Luca Foster, French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa, and recruited walk-on Carter Nilson from Gonzaga Prep.
Gonzaga has also landed a commitment from 21-year-old Real Madrid center Izan Almansa, but he is not eligible to participate with the team while his status for the upcoming season remains to be determined by the NCAA.
Hype for Harwell
Harwell, who committed to Gonzaga back on April 12, signed his paperwork and officially joined the program in late May – after briefly flirting with the NBA draft.
Advertisement
The 6’6 wing from Pocatello, ID was a longtime target of Gonzaga’s out of high school – but ultimately ended up joining Kelvin Sampson at Houston in a recruiting class that included Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac, who went No. 8 and No. 27 in the NBA draft to Atlanta and Boston, respectively.
Harwell finally makes his way to Spokane and is projected to start in GU’s backcourt alongside sophomore returners Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle, and will use his 6’9 wingspan to wreak havoc as a perimeter defender.
If his offensive game develops as the staff hopes, he could be a major x-factor for the Zags in the new-look Pac-12.
Diop’s time
Diop is Gonzaga’s prized portal addition, a hulking 7’1 big man from Arizona State who looks like a complete monster in the short video posted by Gonzaga on Monday.
Advertisement
The Senegalese native averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks for the Sun Devils and was courted heavily by both Gonzaga and St. John’s out of the portal.
The Zags won the battle and now have a nearly perfect complement to returning senior Braden Huff in what will be among the most talented frontcourts in college basketball this upcoming season. Diop is a prolific shot blocker and rim runner – giving Gonzaga a skill set not seen in Spokane since Chet Holmgren roamed The Kennel in 2021-22.
Diop also has a developing outside shot, and the ability to step out and pull the defense away from the rim will make life even easier for Huff as he returns for his final season of eligibility after missing the second half of last season with a knee injury.
Gonzaga still has three open roster spots, and will look to add to the roster soon so it can get this team together and gel before the season opens up Nov. 2 in Las Vegas against Purdue.
Advertisement
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/gonzaga as Gonzaga shares first workout footage of Isiah Harwell, Massamba Diop.
