Perusing the portal: looking at 10 potential transfer targets for Mark Few & Gonzaga

It took all of four days for the transfer portal to make an impact on Gonzaga’s offseason. Now less than two weeks removed from an Elite Eight loss to UConn, three Bulldog players have entered the portal, indicating they’ll continue their college basketball careers somewhere else.

It’s only a matter of time before the Zags use the portal to their benefit. Mark Few’s staff signed two transfers last offseason, and GU coaches have been in contact with various players since the portal opened early last month.

Below, we look at 10 players who’ve reportedly been in contact with Gonzaga’s staff, either this cycle or at some point in the past, as the Bulldogs start to rework and rebuild their roster for the 2023-24 season.

Kel’el Ware, Oregon, C, 7-foot, 210 pounds

Before Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson entered, Oregon’s talented freshman center was considered the top portal prospect available. He may have as much upside as any young big man in the country. Gonzaga’s interior defense suffered in 2022-23 without a shot-blocking presence like Chet Holmgren. Ware averaged 1.3 blocks per game last season to go with 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds off Dana Altman’s bench.

Steele Venters, Eastern Washington, G/F, 6-7, 195

Venters went from a high school player with one college offer to Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player to a coveted transfer who’s heard from schools in the Pac-12, Big Ten, SEC and Big East. Gonzaga too. The Ellensburg High product has shown he can produce against high-major competition, scoring 73 points in three games against Washington State and Texas Tech, and could be a natural fit to replace Julian Strawther if Gonzaga’s junior wing declares for the NBA draft.

Graham Ike, Wyoming, F, 6-9, 255

One of the most interesting prospects in the transfer portal, Ike has a chance to provide instant frontcourt scoring for whichever team lands the junior , but his health is a looming question. Ike hasn’t played in a game since March 15, 2022, sitting out the entirety of 2022-23 with an injury to his lower-right leg. The last time he was healthy, Ike averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Mountain West Cowboys and could be a solid replacement GU, which is losing one of the nation’s most dominant post scorers.

Jayden Taylor, Butler, G, 6-4, 195

The Bulldogs have lost two guards to the transfer portal and could use reinforcements in the backcourt, especially if a third, Malachi Smith, decides to pursue a career in the NBA. Taylor started in 42 of 65 games over two seasons for Butler, averaging a team-high 12.9 points per game to go with 3.8 rebounds – a number that would have led Gonzaga’s guards – and 1.3 assists in 2022-23. Taylor improved as a 3-point shooter during his sophomore season, making 33%, and he also led Butler in steals per game (1.3).

LJ Cryer, Baylor, G, 6-1, 190

Gonzaga fans know Cryer well. Perhaps too well at this point. The Texas native was on Baylor’s 2020-21 national championship team, playing just 1 minute toward the end of an 86-70 victory over the Bulldogs in Indianapolis. Cryer was playing a bigger role for the Bears when Gonzaga and Baylor met in December for a neutral-site game in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He played 27 minutes in a 64-63 win over GU, scoring seven points on 3-of-7 shooting from the floor to go with three rebounds. Cryer, who capped his season with a career-high 30 points against Creighton in the NCAA Tournament, averaged 15.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for the Bears this season.

Yohan Traore, Auburn, F, 6-10, 225

It’s unclear whether there’s been communication between Gonzaga and Traore since the Auburn freshman entered the portal, but he makes the list based on a prior relationship with Few’s staff, which recruited the Tours, France, native out of Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona. Before Traore committed to the Tigers around this time last year, he announced a final four of Auburn, Gonzaga, Michigan and Texas Tech. A former top-30 recruit, Traore struggled to get on the court as a freshman in the SEC, averaging just 9.8 minutes per game.

AJ Storr, St. John’s, G, 6-6, 200

One of three St. John’s players to recently hit the portal, Storr is a big shooting guard and accurate 3-point shooter who made 40% of his shots from behind the arc while starting in 17 of 33 games as a freshman and averaging 8.8 points and 1.9 rebounds. Streaky at times, Storr closed the season making just 1 of 11 from the field in the Big East Tournament against Marquette, one game after scoring 15 points, shooting 4 of 7 from the field and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line against Butler.

Damian Dunn, Temple, G, 6-5, 195

One of the most accomplished scorers in the portal, Dunn surpassed 1,000 career points during his redshirt sophomore season, averaging 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 2022-23. Dunn, who scored 34 points in a loss to Cincinnati earlier this season, is a 34.8% 3-point shooter and, similar to Storr, would bring good size to a backcourt that just lost 6-5 reserve guard Hunter Sallis to the transfer portal. Dunn has also shown a knack for getting to the free-throw line, averaging 5.6 free-throw attempts while making better than 80% last season.

Fardaws Aimaq, Texas Tech, F, 6-11, 245

If Aimaq’s name looks familiar, it’s because he made the list a year ago after transferring from Utah Valley. He returned to the portal after a turbulent season at Texas Tech that was marred by a foot injury, limiting Aimaq to just 11 games. Midseason rumors suggesting Aimaq would leave Lubbock before appearing in his first game for the Red Raiders were false, but the Canadian announced intentions to transfer shortly after coach Mark Adams stepped down from his position after making racially insensitive comments. Aimaq averaged 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds in 11 games and could provide instant help to a GU frontcourt without Timme.

Jackson Paveletzke, Wofford, G, 6-3, 175

The Zags hit on a transfer guard from the Southern Conference last season, bringing in Chattanooga’s Malachi Smith. They’ve been in contact with another SoCon standout, Paveletzke, since the freshman guard entered the portal on March 15. The SoCon Freshman of the Year averaged 15.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 49% from the field, 39% from 3-point range and 84% from the free-throw line.