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Gonzaga Basketball

Colgate transfer guard Braeden Smith planning Gonzaga visit

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Colgate transfer Braeden Smith, a Seattle native, is expected to visit Gonzaga in the near future.

Smith, a 6-foot, 180-pound point guard, averaged 12.5 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a sophomore while earning Patriot League player of the year honors last season at Colgate, located in Hamilton, New York.

Smith visited Davidson and plans to visit GU, Washington and Cal, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. He maintains an option of returning to Colgate.

The Zags received a commitment on May 5 from Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle, a 6-5 guard who averaged nearly 30 points over the final seven games last season.

Gonzaga returns the starting backcourt of Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman. Both are entering their senior seasons and Battle will be a fifth-year senior. Nembhard and Hickman logged heavy minutes last season with the team’s lack of guard depth. Battle obviously fortifies the backcourt and the Zags are still looking to add another versatile guard with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

Smith guided the Raiders (25-10, 16-2 Patriot League) to regular -season and conference tournament titles and a berth into the NCAA Tournament. He had 15 points and 12 boards in the Patriot League championship game. He was named tournament MVP after averaging 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists in three wins.

Smith scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in Colgate’s first-round loss to Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. He finished the season with a 2.42 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Seattle Prep product averaged 11.6 points, 4.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds as a freshman, helping Colgate to a league title.

Smith started all 70 of Colgate’s games in his two seasons. He connected on nearly 50% of 2-point attempts, 33% on 3s and 80.6% at the free -throw line.

Smith was a four-year starter at Seattle Prep and was named Metro League Athlete of the Year in 2021 and 2022. He scored 1,403 points during his career and set schools for career assists (502) and steals (210).