WCC Basketball: Early grades for each teams 2023 offseason moves

2. Saint Mary’s Gaels – Grade: B

It’s hard to grade a team that returns so much talent, as starting wing Alex Ducas is back for an extra year. And with Mitchell Saxen and Aidan Mahaney also back, the Gaels have top-25 caliber talent. They did have two losses in forward Kyle Bowen and Logan Johnson, the team’s leading scorer and WCC Basketball Defensive Player of the Year.

The only newcomers to the team are Jordan Ross and Jensen Bradtke, who could have an impact. But Saint Mary’s could’ve added at least one proven perimeter player to help replace Johnson. They’re a team that doesn’t use the portal often so it comes down to trusting head coach Randy Bennett to develop another star.

1. Gonzaga Bulldogs – Grade: A

The Bulldogs lost three of its best players this offseason, including all-time leading scoring center Drew Timme and projected NBA Draft pick, Julian Strawther. But the team has done one of the better jobs in the transfer portal, landing replacements for all of the lost starters.

Former Creighton starter Ryan Nembhard follows his older brother’s path in transferring to Gonzaga, while Graham Ike averaged nearly 20 and 10 when healthy at Wyoming. Plus, Steele Venters, joins the program after winning Big Sky Player of the Year at Eastern Washington.

There may have been a point in the offseason where it looked like Saint Mary’s was the team to beat in the WCC. However, the Bulldogs may have moved past them thanks to this trio of impact transfers.