Gonzaga offers five-star recruit Sam Funches

Funches is the No. 1 ranked center in the 2026 class

Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have made an offer to the No. 1 center in the 2026 class Sam Funches, Gonzaga Nation confirmed on Wednesday.

The five-star recruit is the No. 11 player overall in his class according to 247Sports Composite and has fielded offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Creighton, Florida State, Ole Miss and Mississippi State among others. 

A native of Madison, Mississippi, early indications point to the 6-foot-10 Funches staying close to home for college. He’s visited Chris Beard and the Rebels three times since being offered last August, the latest visit coming on Feb. 24 when Ole Miss hosted South Carolina. Even with Mississippi State coming into the mix late, as well as visits to other SEC schools, On3.com gives the Rebels the best chances at landing Funches.

With a 247Sports composite rating of 0.9955, Funches would be one of the top recruits in Gonzaga history alongside Chet Holmgren, Jalen Suggs and Hunter Sallis.

Regarding the upcoming recruiting class, Gonzaga target and 6-foot-4 guard Nolan Traore showed out at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit last weekend. The 17-year-old is also fielding offers from Xavier and Alabama.

Trent Perry has also re-opened his recruitment after decommitting from USC. Villanova, Alabama and Tennessee are now in the recruiting mix, Perry told SBLive on April 10.