Alex Toohey decommits from Gonzaga, will stay in Australia

Toohey was one of the top international recruits in the class of 2023

Another scholarship spot just opened up for the Gonzaga men's basketball team.

Class of 2023 recruit Alex Toohey has decommitted from the Zags and has decided to play for the Sydney Kings as part of the Australian NBL Next Stars program, according to ESPN.

Toohey committed to Gonzaga in November and was expected to enroll at GU this month. He picked the Zags over Villanova, Michigan and Davidson after visiting Spokane for a weekend in late October. Duke, Florida and Illinois were also in the mix, but he felt that the possibility of winning a national championship as a Zag was too appealing to pass on.

The 6-foot-8 Australian forward has plenty of experience on the international stage since he made his debut on the FIBA senior national team in 2021. Last summer, he scored 12 points in just 17 minutes of action in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. 

Toohey struggled at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. He played just seven minutes, went 0-for-2 from the field, committed a foul and didn’t register any other stats.

SBLive Sports Director of Recruiting Andrew Nemec evaluated Toohey's performance at the Hoop Summit and noted his struggles.

"During Saturday’s action, Toohey struggled with the speed and athleticism of Team USA and saw limited minutes after a series in which his shot was blocked on one end and was blown by on the other end for a dunk by Duncanville (Texas) five-star big man Ron Holland," said Nemec.

Toohey's decommitment means Gonzaga now has three scholarship spots available. Here's the current roster breakdown:

RETURNING (9)

Anton Watson, 6-8 senior forward

Nolan Hickman, 6-2 sophomore point guard

Ben Gregg, 6-10 sophomore forward

Kaden Perry, 6-9 sophomore forward

Kellen Mitchell, 6-7 freshman guard

Colby Brooks, 6-7 redshirt sophomore forward

Abe Eagle, 6-9 redshirt sophomore forward

Braden Huff, 6-10 freshman forward

Joe Few, 6-0 sophomore guard

TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS (3)

Ryan Nembhard, 6-0 sophomore point guard

Graham Ike, 6-9 redshirt sophomore forward

Steele Venters, 6-7 redshirt sophomore guard

CLASS OF 2023 RECRUITS (2)

Jun Seok Yeo, 6-8 forward

Dusty Stromer, 6-6 guard