A whirlwind of an offseason for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs is coming to a close, with the first exhibition game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 24, against Arkansas.
And despite the roller coaster of eligibility drama, Gonzaga will head into Saturday’s showdown with 14 of their 15 players eligible to suit up after Friday afternoon’s announcement that Izan Almansa, a 21-year-old Spanish big man, has been cleared to play this season by the NCAA.
Almansa committed to Gonzaga way back in May and has been practicing with the team, but Friday’s announcement confirmed the former G League Ignite star will suit up for the Zags this season.
Izan Almansa addresses a key Gonzaga frontcourt concern
Almansa’s arrival gives Gonzaga crucial depth and physicality in the frontcourt, with his rebounding prowess in particular a critical addition for coach Few’s club.
The 6’10 big man is arguably the team’s best rebounder, with presumed starters Massamba Diop (5.8) and Braden Huff (5.6) both under six boards per game last year despite averaging 29.6 and 25.4 minutes per game, respectively.
There aren’t a lot of weak spots on this Zag roster, but rebounding was a concern that is now far more secure with Almansa’s presence.
The big man is also a strong play finisher and has the size, experience, and basketball IQ to impact the Zags on defense as well.
How Almansa fits alongside Braden Huff and Massamba Diop
Gonzaga has stuck with a three big man rotation the last few seasons, and that will likely be the case again in 2026-27. Huff and Diop will start at the four and five, respectively, with Almansa soaking up most of the backup minutes at both spots.
Almansa is capable of playing either the five or the four, so he can sub in for either Huff or Diop. It pushes sophomore Parker Jefferson and freshman Sam Funches down the depth chart, although both should still see the floor this season in blowouts, and potentially more often if/when foul trouble plagues the frontcourt.
Gonzaga could also play small ball with Davis Fogle sliding up to the four – a role he played at times toward the end of last season – or if Chauncey Wiggins gets his eligibility reinstated, the 6’10 sharpshooter could play some power forward minutes in certain lineups as well.
The 21-year-old should operate mostly down on the block as an interior scorer and lob threat in the pick and roll, but he’s capable of stepping out and making an entry pass – and if his outside shot shows up it will open up space down low for Huff or Diop, while clearing driving lanes for Fogle and Isiah Harwell.
Fans will get a glimpse of Almansa’s role on Saturday afternoon when Gonzaga takes on Arkansas. The game is set to tip at 1:00 PM PT and will be broadcast on SECN+.
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