en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball News https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/news As of right now, today, August 22, recent Gonzaga signee Javon Bennett isn’t eligible to play college basketball for the 2026-27 season. He was eligible on August 5, the day the Dayton transfer point guard committed to the Zags after two separate court rulings had given him a fifth season, but earlier this week, both […] Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:46:09 GMT Mac Smith https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672424 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672424 false false Corey Kispert was one of the few constants during 4½ seasons with the Washington Wizards. Teammates came and went, including former Zag Rui Hachimura. The coaching staff and front office changed. It added up to a lot of losses – a combined 33-131 in his last two full seasons after 35-47 records in each of his first two NBA seasons – and zero playoff appearances. It was the polar opposite of his four seasons at Gonzaga. The Zags went 127-12 from 2018 to 2021 and made runs to the Sweet 16, Elite Eight and national championship game. The Zags were a shoo-in to be a No. 1 seed before the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kispert was a consensus first-team All-American in 2021. When he was traded to Atlanta in January, Kispert landed in the middle of a playoff chase but also had to fit into a new system and new roster. “It felt like a new experience for me,” Kispert said. “It had been so long since I played in a playoffs or tournament type situation. But compared to the other teams that played the (NBA champion Knicks), it was a really respectable effort against them (4-2 series loss in the opening round). “It was really fun to relive and relearn super competitive, high level basketball.” The 6-foot-6, 225-pound wing has proven to be a steady, reliable player, whether starting or coming off the bench in five NBA seasons. He averaged 9.2 points in 19 Wizards games and 9.2 points in 38 contests with Hawks following the trade. Kispert averaged double figures in three seasons, including a career-best 13.4 points in 2023-24. He’s hit 38% of his career 3-pointers, 62.1% on 2s and 80.3% at the free throw line. “You’re all in wherever you’re at, especially when you’re young in the league,” said Kispert, selected 15th overall in the 2021 draft. “It’s keep playing and earn that next contract. The winner in you and competitor inside gets antsy and itchy. Washington did a lot for me and poured a lot into me. You kind of have to grow where you’re planted.” Kispert’s time as a Zag and Wizard helped speed up his transition to being a Hawk. “Sticking with it, just not giving up, being consistent, stacking days,” he said. “It was a grind my first couple years in Washington. The first two years we were trying to compete and push and it didn’t work out. We switched to a total rebuild halfway through, so I’ve seen it all in how organizations are trying to do it, how to build a team. “The commitment to being a really good teammate and someone you like having around and being around has helped me more than I could have imagined. Washington allowed me some leeway to figure it out.” The Hawks appear to be on the rise in the Eastern Conference, even though Philadelphia, Boston, Miami and the Knicks hogged the offseason headlines. “I definitely feel like we’re a more complete team (going into the 2026-27 season),” Kispert said. “There’s a lot of buzz coming out of Philly, Miami, Boston and New York, but we definitely feel we can stand toe to toe.” “The fit is really good. The main thing is I wish I had a full training camp and full season (with the Hawks). The chemistry you need to learn and the camaraderie you get during a full season – getting thrown in the middle of it is something everyone has to get used to. Coach (Quin) Snyder and I see the game the same way. We have a lot of younger, talented guys that are easy to get along with, so I’m excited for a full year and training camp.” Kispert spends offseasons in Phoenix, usually getting in morning workouts and training sessions and playing pick-up games with numerous NBA players, including several of the hometown Suns. The Hawks also held workouts in Las Vegas and Los Angeles leading into the beginning of training camp in late September. Kispert nailed nearly 44% of 385 3-point attempts in his last two seasons as a Zag. He buried 42.4% in his second season with the Wizards and was just under 40% last year when the trade to Atlanta was finalized. “In order to take another step in my career, I have to be a truly elite shooter,” he said. “It’s all kinds of shots, off the dribble, open, contested, moving, especially from 3. I’ve been a very good shooter and I’ve been elite a couple of years. I need to put it together more consistently. “And then just lean into and embrace my strength and physicality, especially on the defensive front. You have to be able to play both sides of the ball in the NBA. I’m not claiming to be a truly lock-down guy, but I need to lean into how strong I am and athletically I can make more of an impact.” Kispert credited Gonzaga coach Mark Few’s impact on his career, even if the road was bumpy at times, particularly during his freshman and sophomore seasons. “It took me a long time to realize what he’s doing, a long time to realize this guy is a Hall of Famer and he has a plan for me,” Kispert said. “Early on, the tough love was so jarring for me, that level of being on me was something I hadn’t experienced. “But there were multiple... Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:03:11 GMT Jim Meehan https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672046 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672046 true false Corey Kispert wanted a name for his new business venture that represented the ups and downs associated with two passions in his life: Coffee and Basketball. He chose The Bitter Truth for his coffee company that launched in March. Kispert consumed a ton of coffee in four seasons at Gonzaga, but it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops on the court in his first two years. He eventually figured it out and played a starring role on GU’s 31-1 squad that suffered its lone loss in the 2021 national championship against Baylor in Indianapolis. “That’s been a reflection of my NBA career as well, a similar story and path (as Gonzaga),” said Kispert, who is entering his sixth NBA season. “I’ve learned a lot of I guess you’d call them bitter truths along the way, reflecting the struggle and hard times and adversity in my career and personal life aren’t something to run from. “Even if you think you’re making strides, you’re not absent of issues that pop up. So work with them, stare them in the face and actually enjoy it and your life gets a lot easier. That’s kind of what the brand stands for – honest self-reflection and not lying to yourself.” Kispert’s coffee infatuation began innocently enough as a high school senior in the Seattle area, percolated over four years as a Zag and brewed into his current daily ritual of 5-7 cups. He grew up with “a Starbucks on every corner,” but his dad swore drinking coffee would stunt Corey’s growth until he got older. So Kispert waited a while. Having sprouted to 6-feet-6 and 210 pounds, he started eating breakfast during his senior year at King’s High with several buddies working construction who insisted on drinking straight black coffee. “I did it in reverse,” Kispert said. “I wasn’t doing the triple vanilla macchiato people usually start with.” Kispert met future wife Jenn Wirth, a standout on GU’s women’s basketball team, and she broadened his coffee horizons. “Starbucks was the holy land to me, but she opened my eyes to the specialty shops,” he said. “On the road we do stay in nicer hotels and I have a rolodex of coffee spots throughout NBA cities.” Kispert started posting social media videos from his visits to specialty shops, which caught the eye of Ike Bubna, a GU fan who operates three New Love Coffee shops in the Spokane area. “That was kind of the precursor to starting The Bitter Truth,” Kispert said of the videos. “Ike cold called me, said if I was interested, he’d love to work with me.” There was mutual interest, After sampling various roasts, The Bitter Truth launched with light, medium and dark roasts that are also available in decaf at BitterTruthCoffee.com. The beans are imported from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Peru and Guatemala, then roasted, packaged and shipped from New Love Coffee. The Bitter Truth Website includes hats, coffee mugs and roasts in wholesale for businesses. Kispert was traded from Washington to Atlanta last January and the Hawks offer Bitter Truth coffee at the team facility. Kispert’s teammates with the Wizards and Hawks have been faithful customers and Jenn assists with design, marketing and messaging. On typical game days, Kispert has two or three cups in the morning, an ice coffee following a pre-game nap, another cup upon arriving at the arena – “It’s usually cold in there so another coffee is great” – and a pre-game espresso shot. “It’s really a different avenue to pour time and energy into when I’m not on the court,” said Kispert, who earned a business administration degree at GU and was halfway to an MBA. “In season, luckily, I have Ike and a few others helping me out. If we get into town for a road game, I’ll spend a couple hours working on it in the hotel room.” Kispert’s name recognition, particularly in Spokane, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Atlanta, helps attract customers and he’s confident the product matches up well in the competitive coffee marketplace. Eleven former or current NFL players, including Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Cooper Kupp, a former Eastern Washington standout who has won Super Bowls with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, are in the coffee industry. “The more people that try it, the more positive reviews I get,” Kispert said. “It’s differentiating myself and our company from thousands of others where you can get your coffee.” “We got really good numbers on the launch, a lot of people came out to support it. As many businesses experience as you get into the 3- to 6-month mark, it sort of plateaus. We’re at a good level. This summer we’re beefing up and tuning up to get some growth so we can take on a bigger load when the season gets going.” Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:03:07 GMT Jim Meehan https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672045 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57672045 true false By ADAM ZAGORIA AND ZACH SMART Class […] The post appeared first on . Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:25:07 GMT Adam Zagoria https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57670602 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57670602 false false Gonzaga’s point guard situation is still in flux less than three months out from the regular season, but help could be on the way as soon as next week. Nathan De Sousa, a 23-year-old French point guard who spent the last five seasons playing professionally for Cholet Basket of the LNB Elite, is planning to arrive in Spokane next week, he told The Spokesman-Review on Saturday. De Sousa, who committed to Gonzaga in June, is still waiting on the NCAA to process his eligibility waiver but is scheduled to fly to the United States as soon as he obtains a travel visa, which could happen in the upcoming days. The Frenchman may be one solution for Gonzaga at the point guard spot after German prospect Jack Kayil kept his name in the NBA Draft and returning starter Mario Saint-Supery left the team in July to sign a long-term professional contract with Spanish club Valencia. Mark Few’s program recently picked up a commitment from 5-in-5 Dayton transfer Javon Bennett, but the point guard’s future at Gonzaga is now uncertain after the NCAA was granted a stay motion in the Ohio injunction that previously granted him a fifth year of eligibility. Meanwhile, De Sousa, fellow Gonzaga commit Izan Almansa and dozens of international players currently committed to Division I programs continue to wait on the NCAA to approve eligibility waivers, with roughly a week until the fall semester starts and preseason practices begin at most schools. If cleared, the 6-3 De Sousa would give Gonzaga an experienced playmaker and serviceable shooter at one of the most important positions in Few’s offense. A native of Saint-Quentin, France, the guard averaged 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 turnovers last season for Cholet in LNB Elite play. De Sousa made 43.4% of his shots from the field and connected at 36.1% from the 3-point line, up from 18.8% the season prior. He also shot 76.9% at the free throw line. Playing in Cholet’s backcourt alongside Gerald Ayayi, the older brother of former GU guard Joel Ayayi, De Sousa averaged another 8.3 ppg, 4.7 apg and 2.0 rpg in the Basketball Champions League, shooting 31.7% from the field, 28.6% from the 3-point line and 84.4% from the free throw line. Cholet advanced to the semifinal round of the LNB Elite playoffs before losing in a four-game series to Paris Basketball. De Sousa averaged 7.7 ppg and 3.2 apg during the French playoffs. The guard has competed for Cholet’s senior team four of the last five seasons, leaving in 2022-23 to play for AS Alsace in France’s second professional division. De Sousa started in Cholet’s youth academy in 2018 and played two seasons with the club’s U-21 team before being promoted to the senior team. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:50:54 GMT Theo Lawson https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57668203 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57668203 true false The Gonzaga Bulldogs’ non-conference slate has made moves this week, with now 12 of the 16 available slots filled. That doesn’t include the potential championship game at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Ivy League’s Cornell Big Red is off to the Kennel on Dec. […] Sat, 22 Aug 2026 04:47:19 GMT Arden Cravalho https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57665118 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57665118 false false With the continuous disaster that the NCAA created and put on itself, some more bad news on the Gonzaga Bulldogs’front. According to court documents from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, all Class of 2022 athletes from the state of Colorado ruling, except for those who have their own temporary restraining order or injunction until […] Sat, 22 Aug 2026 04:14:49 GMT Arden Cravalho https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57664987 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57664987 false false The roller coaster offseason for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs continues with Javon Bennett now no longer eligible following stay requests granted in Ohi... Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:53:22 GMT Locked On Zags https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57661400 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57661400 false false The ongoing, often-unpredictable NCAA 5-in-5 saga has thrown another wrench into the plans of Gonzaga point guard commit Javon Bennett. A Dayton transfer who committed to Gonzaga on Aug. 5, Bennett encountered a setback on Friday when the NCAA was granted a stay motion in the federal NCAA vs. Wisne lawsuit that protected the point guard and all other student-athletes hoping to secure a fifth year of eligibility. It’s the second decision in the last five days that could impact whether Bennett is able to suit up for a Gonzaga team that still doesn’t have a point guard signed to its 2026-27 roster. On Monday, the NCAA notched another legal victory when the Ohio Court of Appeals granted a motion to stay an injunction in the Borovicanin vs. NCAA lawsuit that included Bennett and 14 other athletes. The Court of Appeals set oral arguments for Sept. 22, suggesting there could be a decision in the Ohio case before Gonzaga opens the college basketball season on Nov. 2. For now, both of the injunctions that allowed Bennett to pursue a fifth season of eligibility – the federal one in Colorado and state injunction in Ohio – will be on hold until appeals in both cases are resolved. The point guard was scheduled to arrive in Spokane this Thursday, he recently told The Spokesman-Review in a phone interview. “Effective immediately, the age-based eligibility rules will be implemented as the Division I membership intended,” the NCAA wrote in a statement delivered to member schools Friday. “Class members who were allowed to compete because of the Wisne injunction are no longer eligible to compete.  “The Association will separately continue to defend other similar putative class action lawsuits and the state court cases that have been filed by former student-athletes seeking additional eligibility and expeditiously appeal any cases where former student-athletes have, or will, be granted additional eligibility through separate state court rulings.  We are encouraged by the Ohio Court of Appeals’ decision to stay the first of those injunctions pending our appeal.” A handful of other players involved in various state lawsuits, including Gonzaga commit Chauncey Wiggins – a fifth-year wing from Florida State who earned an injunction in his home state of Georgia – still have a clear path to eligibility for the time being. Gonzaga has also been linked to multiple point guard prospects recently named in a similar California lawsuit, including Florida’s Xaivian Lee and UCLA’s Donovan Dent. On Tuesday, the 73 athletes named in the California suit were granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, enabling that group to pursue a fifth season of eligibility. The NCAA is expected to file for stay motions in other state lawsuits, but it hasn’t had a 100% success rate. A court in Tennessee recently rejected the NCAA’s motion to stay an injunction that extended the eligibility for 19 player plaintiffs. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:46:12 GMT Theo Lawson https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57660619 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57660619 true false On the heels of a lengthy college basketball career that culminated with a brief stop at Gonzaga, Adam Miller has signed a contract with Basketball Club Coretec Oostende in Belgium’s top professional league. The shooting guard agreed to one-year contract with Corotec Oostende, according to a press release from the club on Thursday. The team competes in the city of Oostende, a suburb of Bruges located on the northwestern coast of the country. Miller played five college basketball seasons over five years, transferring last summer to Gonzaga, where he started in 25 of 35 games and averaged 7.3 points and 1.6 rebounds. The 6-foot-3 guard was brought to Spokane as a quality perimeter threat who could enhance the team’s outside shooting, but generally struggled from 3-point range, making just 30.2% of his shots after connecting at a 42.9% clip the year prior. Miller was in and out of Gonzaga’s starting lineup, coming off the bench in the team’s opener against Texas Southern before starting in the next seven games and eventually sliding back into a reserve role. The guard moved back into the first five ahead of a Jan. 8 game against Santa Clara and started in the final 18 games. Miller reached double figures in 11 games and scored a season-high 21 points, making 7 of 8 shots from the free throw line, in a key road win at Santa Clara on Feb. 14. Gonzaga was the fourth and final stop for Miller, a former top-40 national recruit who played on Team USA’s FIBA U-18 World Cup gold medal-winning team with ex-Zag Chet Holmgren. The Peoria, Ill., native played one season at Illinois in 2020-21, teaming up with former Illini and current Gonzaga assistant Stephen Gentry, before using a medical redshirt in 2021-22 and transferring to LSU for the 2022-23 season. Miller started in all 33 games for the Tigers before transferring to Arizona State for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, starting in 51 of the 53 games he played for Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:46:01 GMT Theo Lawson https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659893 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659893 true false Gonzaga will face an Ivy League opponent on New Year’s Eve before turning the page on its nonconference schedule and diving into Pac-12 Conference play. Mark Few’s program will host Cornell on Dec. 31, according to a report on Friday from Bracketeer.com’s Rocco Miller. A tipoff time and television details will be announced at a later date. The New Year’s Eve matchup technically won’t mark the end of GU’s nonconference schedule – the Zags will travel to Detroit on Feb. 20 to play Duke – but is expected to be the final nonleague game before Few’s team opens Pac-12 play in January. The Cornell matchup becomes the fourth known home nonconference game for Gonzaga, which will also host New Mexico State (Nov. 7), Montana State (Nov. 17) and NAIA Eastern Oregon (Dec. 2). LSU is also visiting Spokane for a Nov. 14 matchup at Numerica Veterans Arena. This will be the first-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Cornell and signify just the second matchup between the Zags and an opponent from the Ivy League. Yale visited Spokane on two occasions, traveling to Numerica Veterans Arena in 1992 before returning to play at McCarthey Athletic Center in 2023. Cornell placed fourth in the Ivy League standings last season, finishing with an overall record of 15-13 and conference mark of 8-6. Third-year coach Jon Jaques, a former Cornell captain from 2006-10, is replacing each of his three double-digit scorers from a year ago, including guards Cooper Noard (18.2 points per game) and Jake Fiegen (17.1 ppg). The team’s top returner is starting point guard Jacob Beccles, who averaged 7.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds. Gonzaga’s nonconference schedule still hasn’t been finalized, but as of now the Cornell matchup is the team’s only game between a Dec. 19 showdown with Michigan State in Palm Springs and the end of the calendar year. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:52:23 GMT Theo Lawson https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659232 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659232 true false By JAMES MADDEN Spanish big man Chiek […] The post appeared first on . Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:44:41 GMT James Madden https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659148 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57659148 false false By ZACH SMART In culminating a summer […] The post appeared first on . Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:18:32 GMT Zach Smart https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57657962 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57657962 false false Adam Miller signed a one-year deal Thursday with Coretec Oostende in Belgium, his first professional contract, after 152 college games at Illinois, LSU, Arizona State and Gonzaga. He’ll play on the North Sea for the most decorated club in Belgian basketball, one that just watched a 14-year run of national championships end in overtime. He’s […] Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:47:42 GMT Mac Smith https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57656833 https://sportspyder.com/mcb/gonzaga-bulldogs-basketball/articles/57656833 false false