Sam Funches, Luca Foster Comprise Gonzaga's 2026 Freshman Recruiting Class

Four freshmen are on the Gonzaga Bulldogs’ 2026-27 roster, but two joined the program relatively recently. Juwan Ekanga, a 6-6, 19-year-old French guard, committed to the Zags in June, electing to play college basketball after playing for JL Bourg and Roanne in France’s ELITE leagues. And Carter Nilson, a 6-5 Gonzaga Prep alum, followed in his father Mike’s footsteps, announcing he would play for GU shortly after graduating in the spring.

But two four-star recruits, Sam Funches and Luca Foster, signed with the Bulldogs last fall and could make an impact as first-year players amid the program’s ongoing roster uncertainty.

Funches, a 7-0 center from Mississippi, is coming off a storybook tenure with Germantown High School. He is a consensus top-15 center in the Class of 2026 and is regarded as Mississippi's best player. The long lefty chose Gonzaga almost a year ago to the day over LSU, Cal, Ole Miss, Kansas, and Vanderbilt. As a junior, Funches averaged 14.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, and 1.7 assists per game. That year, he helped the Mavericks win the 2025 MHSSA Class 7A State Championship, Germantown’s first-ever state title.