Gonzaga’s Dusty Stromer, Braden Huff set for greater roles as sophomores: ‘They’re big pillars in what we’re doing’

Assistant coach Brian Michaelson called Gonzaga’s rising sophomores ‘the guys that are gonna carry this program forward’ once this year’s senior class departs

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34) and Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Dusty Stromer (4) celebrate after a victory over the Yale Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center in Nov. 2023. / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

They could probably both start for a power conference program somewhere else. Rather than enter the transfer portal, Dusty Stromer and Braden Huff decided it's best to wait another year until the torch is handed down to them by Gonzaga’s current crop of seniors.

“Those are the two we’re building around,” Bulldogs assistant coach Brian Michaelson said of the rising sophomores. “They’re big pillars in what we’re doing. Huge pillars for what we’re doing now and really the guys that are gonna carry this program forward because we have so many seniors.”

Six seniors, in fact, are expected to be in Mark Few’s main rotation this upcoming season. Experience is a luxury in college basketball, though replacing that outgoing talent is another task entirely. As student-athletes change schools at a record rate, retaining talent and developing a culture with program guys has become more and more difficult with NIL and the unlimited transfer rule.

At least it’s been challenging everywhere except Spokane, it seems. Gonzaga is set to return 81.4% of its minutes played from last season, which ranks as the seventh-highest return rate in all of Division I and second among power conference teams (Notre Dame returns 83.9% of its minutes). 

The Bulldogs weren’t afraid to be aggressive in the portal, as Few and the staff brought in All-WCC wing Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine, grad transfer Khalif Battle from Arkansas and 6-foot-5 rising sophomore Emmanuel Innocenti from Tarleton State. Colgate transfer and reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Braeden Smith joins the ranks as well and will redshirt to preserve eligibility for 2025 and beyond.

That’s a lot of talent to add to an already experienced roster. Big picture though, Battle and Ajayi will be seniors along with Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Graham Ike and Ben Gregg. A contingency plan needed to be put in place, and it appears Huff and Stromer are the next in line to lead the Zags.

"Both of those guys have really bought into what we’ve wanted, what we’ve taught," Michaelson said. "And again they’re just unbelievable guys, really good teammates who want to win and value that and that’s why we view them as pillars not just this year, but definitely as they continue to grow [as] the guys that are gonna be the leaders of this program.”

Michaelson shared more on what he’s seen from the rising sophomores in summer practices and much more on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE BELOW:

Produced by Thomas Gallagher.

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