With highly anticipated matchups against college basketball powerhouses in UConn, UCLA and Kentucky on the slate for the 2024-25 campaign, GU will once again be in the spotlight.

The Zags returned all but four members of the roster that clinched a ninth-straight Sweet 16 appearance last March. According to advanced analytics from EvanMiya.com, 81% of GU’s rotation minutes will be played by returning players.

Senior guard Ryan Nembhard holds the keys to the GU offense and looks set to resume his role as the offensive initiator. In his first year at GU after transferring from Creighton, Nembhard averaged 12.7 points on 44.5% field goal shooting. He also led the West Coast Conference with 7.1 assists per game.

“One of the best decisions of my life was coming [to GU],” Nembhard said on the Gonzaga Nation Podcast. “It took me a while to get comfortable [in the GU system] … There were a bunch of new guys that I had to get comfortable playing with. Once I figured that out, I think it went pretty good. [Head Coach Mark Few] and I built a good relationship over our first year and I feel like it’s only going to continue to get better.”

Nembhard scored his season-high of 22 points against Cal State Bakersfield, and recorded a double-double in six other outings.

Nolan Hickman compliments Nembhard in GU’s starting backcourt well. The senior guard made significant improvements in each of his first three seasons as a Zag.

In the 2023-24 season, Hickman averaged 14.0 points while shooting 47.1% from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc. Hickman scored a season-high 24 points in a home win over Loyola Marymount. Thriving off both catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and midrange jumpers, Hickman can effectively create shots, despite not operating as the primary ball handler. Hickman is poised for another standout season for the Zags.

Another four-year Zag that will likely find himself in the starting lineup is senior forward Ben Gregg. The Oregon native and lifelong Zag fan found himself thrust into the starting lineup last season, replacing then-freshman wing Dusty Stromer. GU found its footing in what had been a mixed season up until mid-January. Gregg scored a career-best 22 points in a win over San Diego, and showcased an ability to produce on the big stage, hitting four 3-point shots in a WCC Tournament semifinal win over San Francisco.

Though Gregg averaged 9. 2 points per game on 54.1% shooting last season, his impact on the game was not always reflected in the box score. Gregg was a pure-hustle player, always ready to sacrifice his body to make a play for the team.

Joining Gregg in the front court will be senior forward Graham Ike, who transferred from Wyoming ahead of the 2023-24 season. Ike was the third-highest scorer in the WCC last season, averaging 16.5 points on 60.9% field goal shooting, earning himself First Team All-WCC honors. The bruising lefty found himself in numerous midseason award watchlists. It is likely that Ike will once again be listed among the best players in college basketball.

Ike will need to be more careful with staying out of foul trouble, as the Zags will likely run with him as the main scoring option. An assured scoring threat, Ike is a player who will have a massive impact on GU’s aspirations in the upcoming season.

The final piece in the Zags’ starting lineup for the 2024-25 season is likely to be senior wing Michael Ajayi. Ajayi averaged nearly a double-double last season, contributing 17.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. The former Pepperdine player and Kent, Washington, native led the WCC in scoring and was second in rebounding last season before joining GU in the offseason.

“(GU assistant coach) R-Jay Barsh was on me … ready to get me here,” Ajayi said on the Gonzaga Nation Podcast. “I felt like Gonzaga is the place to be, I can be at home. Mark Few is a great coach who takes players to the next level and that’s where I wanted to be. It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to grow my game and come back even stronger.”

With a starting lineup of Nembhard, Hickman, Ajayi, Gregg and Ike, the Zags are likely to be WCC preseason favorites and among the top-5 programs in many early rankings.

While the starting unit possesses great talent, the GU bench has depth that will allow the Zags to compete for a national title this season. On the bench, GU has both immediate impact players and future prospects who will lead the program into the near future.

Last season, Few largely operated on a seven-player rotation, tightening the rotation for close games and opening up more minutes during less competitive matchups. It is likely that Few will have to operate on a nine-player rotation, even expanding the rotation in certain games.

First off the bench will be Khalif Battle, a veteran transfer from Arkansas who averaged nearly 25 points over the final 10 games of last season. Battle, a player with five years of college basketball experience, brings a unique foul-drawing ability. Battle scored a career-high 42 points against Missouri last season.

Another experienced player looking to make his full debut for the Zags is redshirt junior wing Steele Venters. The former Big Sky Conference Player of the Year transferred to GU ahead of the 2023-24 season but missed it with a torn ACL. Venters will likely not feature heavily in the rotation in the beginning of the season, as he continues to recover from his knee injury.

In the 2022-23 season for Eastern Washington, Venters shot 37.1% on 6.2 attempts per game from beyond the arc and will look to bring that form into the upcoming season. Once introduced to the rotation, Venters’ shooting ability will provide a welcome boost to the Zags.

Sophomore duo Stromer and Braden Huff will likely make up the final two pieces of GU’s nine-player rotation. Stromer showed flashes of his potential last season with a 15-point performance against USC, demonstrating his outside shooting ability and off-ball impact. Huff, meanwhile, provided more consistency last year but lacked the flash of Stromer. Huff will continue to show his ability to match up with big men and knock down 3-pointers in the upcoming season.