May 2—Gonzaga got a good look at Adam Miller when the guard competed alongside Chet Holmgren on United States’ gold-medal winning team at the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Cup — a tournament that also featured future Zags Ryan Nembhard and Jun Seok Yeo.
Miller played in front of Mark Few’s coaching staff again last season when his Arizona State made the trip north last November to face Gonzaga in a nonconference game at McCarthey Athletic Center.
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The familiarity on both sides made Gonzaga a natural landing spot for the well-traveled Miller, who gave the Zags their first transfer addition of the offseason by signing a financial aid agreement with Few’s program on Friday.
“Zags. One more run,” Miller posted on his social media platforms upon announcing his commitment.
The guard gave Gonzaga its second roster addition of the day, committing to the Zags hours after high school center and former Minnesota signee Parker Jefferson pledged to Few’s program.
Miller, who began a six-year, four-school college odyssey in 2020-21, is making Gonzaga his final stop after spending one season at Illinois (2020-21), two at LSU (2021-23) — one of which was spent redshirting after an ACL injury — and the last two at Arizona State (2023-25).
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The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard didn’t compete during the 2021-22 season and is able to return for a fifth year of eligibility through a COVID-19 waiver given to everyone who competed during the 2020-21 season.
Miller’s announcement comes on the heels of Gonzaga learning it would return its two top frontcourt pieces, Graham Ike and Braden Huff, who jointly announced they’d be back for the 2025-26 season hours before the deadline for players to enter the transfer portal.
Before Miller’s commitment, the Zags were just one of three programs at the high-major level without an incoming transfer, along with Marquette and Stanford.
The fifth-year guard should help stabilize Gonzaga’s backcourt after losing three starting guards in Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Khalif Battle to graduation, and reserve Dusty Stromer to the transfer portal.
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Miller has been a primary starter at all three of his previous schools, starting in 113 of 117 career games and all 30 last season at Arizona State, while averaging 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
The veteran guard not only fills a positional need for Gonzaga, but gives Few’s team a reliable option from the perimeter. Last season the Zags finished with one of their lowest 3-point percentages (35.4%) under the 26th-year coach.
A career 34% 3-point shooter, Miller is coming off his most accurate season from behind the arc, making 42.9% on 4.4 attempts per game. He shot a personal-best 44.9% from the field last year with the Sun Devils and brings a career free throw shooting clip of 78.9% to Gonzaga.
Miller started and played 30 minutes for ASU in an 88-80 loss at Gonzaga on Nov. 10, finishing with eight points on 3 of 10 from the field and 2 of 7 from the 3-point line. The guard will return to Tempe as an opponent this season when GU visits ASU for the second game of a home-and-home between the programs.
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The Peoria, Illinois, native was a four-star prospect coming out of Chicago’s Morgan Park High School, choosing Illinois over offers from Kansas, Louisville, Memphis, ASU, Arizona, NC State, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Wake Forest.
Miller was a key contributor for the U.S. FIBA U-19 team that won gold in Latvia and one of three players, along with Holmgren and Michael Miles, who averaged more than 20 minutes per game during the 2021 World Cup. Miller totaled 7.4 ppg and was second on the team at 3.6 apg, scoring 12 points to go with four rebounds and three steals in the gold medal game to help guide the U.S. past Victor Wembanyama-led France.
Holmgren expressed excitement upon learning of Miller’s commitment to GU, replying to the guard’s Instagram post.
“Yeahh twiz,” Holmgren wrote.
Gonzaga may still look to add depth at the guard and wing positions. Former Colgate transfer Braeden Smith is the top candidate to take over point guard duties from Nembhard, but the Zags have two other backcourt starting spots to fill with the departures of Hickman and Battle.
