Gonzaga lands Virginia transfer Jalen Warley

Warley will redshirt this season and play for the Zags in 2025-26

Virginia basketball transfer Jalen Warley. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Less than a month into the 2024-25 campaign, the Gonzaga men’s basketball team has added a key rotational piece to next season's roster.

Virginia transfer Jalen Warley has committed to the Bulldogs and will suit up for Mark Few and company in 2025-26 after taking a redshirt year this season, according to On3.com’s Joe Tipton. The 6-foot-7 senior announced his decision 10 days following his visit to Spokane for the Zags’ home game against UMass-Lowell on Nov. 15.

"I'm really liking it," Warley said. "It feels like a great community that supports the basketball program with some really great people.” 

Virginia transfer Jalen Warley on #Gonzaga visit: ‘I’m really liking it’https://t.co/HG2suhbL1F pic.twitter.com/zVvpu8unaE

— Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI (@GonzagaOnSI) November 16, 2024

Warley liked what he saw enough to choose Gonzaga over another top 10 team in Iowa State, which also hosted the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native on a visit before he came to his conclusion. Warley canceled a planned trip to Texas A&M, according to Jon Rothstein.

Warley averaged 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 33 games, including 32 starts, as a junior at Florida State in 2023-24. He finished in the top 20 in the ACC in total steals (42) and steals per game (1.3). Though Warley’s known more for his toughness on defense, he recorded three straight games with 10 or more points and had a 23-point outing against Louisville in February.

Warley made the move to Virginia after spending three seasons in Tallahassee, Florida, but not before briefly crossing paths with current Gonzaga assistant coach, R-Jay Barsh, who was an assistant on the Seminoles staff when Warley was a sophomore in 2022-23. Now the two reunite in the Inland Northwest, as Warley’s commitment will go a long way in shaping how the program looks next season.

The Zags will graduate six seniors this spring, including all five starters. Redshirt sophomore Braden Huff and sophomore Dusty Stromer come up the ranks, along with Colgate transfer Braden Smith, who took a redshirt year upon joining the team this offseason and will likely play a crucial role at the point guard position when looking past this year. The team could also return 7-foot freshman Ismaila Diagne, 6-foot-8 junior Jun Seok Yeo and 6-foot-6 sophomore Emmaneul Innocenti.

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