Joe Lunardi’s latest analysis of the 2026 NCAA Tournament field places the Bulldogs at number six.
The days leading up to the NBA draft withdrawal deadline should provide more clarity as to what the college basketball landscape is going to look like for the 2025-26 campaign.
Several prospects will have to make difficult decisions over the next week or so after receiving feedback from scouts and performing in front of NBA personnel at the draft combine in Chicago. The deadline for players with college eligibility remaining to withdraw from the draft is May 28, leaving some prospects with not a whole lot of time to figure out their next career move.
Cedric Coward, a former Washington State wing and Duke recruit, will either participate in the draft or play for the Blue Devils and try his hand at it the following year? What will make or break former UAB standout Yaxel Lundenborg, who is presently deciding between playing professionally and moving to Michigan? Additionally, after ruling out a possible comeback to St. John’s, RJ Luis has been mostly silent regarding his future plans.
Gonzaga doesn’t have to stress over any last-minute decisions from its players, though Mark Few and his coaching staff will likely monitor the ones who exit the draft and hit the transfer portal. The Bulldogs have signed one player in the portal so far in Arizona State transfer Adam Miller, who committed to the Zags on May 2. Gonzaga’s attention has been focused more on the recruiting trails lately, but Few and company are likely not done rounding out their 2025 roster.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has already begun examining which teams might qualify for the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the puzzle pieces come together throughout the offseason. Since acquiring Miller, the Zags haven’t deviated from their original estimate, which was the 6-seed line in Lunardi’s first 2026 prognosis, which was made public in April. The winner of a first-four game between 11-seed SMU and Ole Miss will face Gonzaga, Lunardi’s No. 6 seed in the East Region, in a fictitious first-round showdown at the Paycom Centre in Oklahoma City.
