Gonzaga University’s basketball program is set to begin the 2026‑27 campaign without its starting point guard, Mario Saint‑Supéry, who has signed a four‑year contract with Valencia of the EuroLeague.
Saint‑Supéry’s numbers from last season — 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game — highlight a player who was both a scorer and a playmaker, and his departure marks a significant shift for the Bulldogs.
The move follows another off‑season setback: European guard Jack Kayil was drafted by the Houston Rockets and subsequently traded to the New York Knicks, further thinning the team’s backcourt options.
A depleted backcourt
With the transfer portal closed for the foreseeable future, Gonzaga cannot simply plug the gap with an experienced replacement, forcing the coaching staff to turn to internal candidates.
One of those candidates is forward Braden Huff, who emerged as a reliable scoring threat, averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the previous season.
In the frontcourt, the Bulldogs will also replace leading scorer Graham Ike with Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop, a move aimed at preserving offensive firepower.
What lies ahead
The upcoming season will test how quickly the new backcourt combinations can gel, especially as Valencia looks to bolster its own roster with a proven EuroLeague guard.
Meanwhile, the NBA draft continues to reshape college rosters, as Kayil’s journey from Gonzaga to the Rockets and then to the Knicks illustrates the growing international pipeline.
Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see whether the Bulldogs can maintain their competitive edge despite the loss of key playmakers.