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With the transfer portal nearing the dead period, a few marquee names remained in the window, still looking for new teams. Among them, one of the biggest names was Braeden Smith, who just made his decision official.
As confirmed by On3, the former Colgate guard is moving to Gonzaga after a strong sophomore season with the Raiders where he averaged 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists, earning the Patriot League Player of the Year award in the process.
As the team leader in points, he was critical to the team's fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, where their short-lived tenure ended with a first-round loss to Baylor.
In an Instagram post by Smith, alongside Tipton Edits and Transfer Portal, the news was confirmed of the Bulldogs' newest addition. Fans were understandably elated, with his move and fit in the team particularly drawing a ton of love.
Coach Chris Hyppa, who is most commonly seen working out with the 2024 WNBA draft's No. 2 pick Cameron Brinks, was a huge fan of the move:
"This literally is a perfect fit!", Hyppa wrote.
Darrion Williams, who joined Texas Tech after a solid sophomore season at Nevada, where he averaged 11.4 ppg on 49.4% from the field and 45.8% from long range, was also a fan of the move:
"Yupppp", Williams voiced his agreement.
Most fans were quick to welcome Smith to the Bulldogs' "kennel", especially with the talent that Gonzaga has acquired to their squad going into the 2024 season:
"Gonzaga is putting together a historical roster", one fan put forward their opinion.
Braeden Smith rounds out incredible haul for Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few has landed an incredible transfer haul, with Arkansas' Khalif Battle, Pepperdine's Michael Ajayi and Tarleton State's Emmanuel Innocenti shoring up an already stacked roster.
In Smith, the Bulldogs get a reliable hand at the lead playmaking position, in addition to retaining a large portion of the roster. With four starters and a total of 10 players returning from this past season, the program should have its highest return rate in the last 20 years.
The loaded roster has Gonzaga feeling like a potential contender, with room to improve at every corner.
Do you think the Gonzaga Bulldogs can take the next step toward an NCAA title with this new and improved roster? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
