Gonzaga Professional Athletes

Remembering Brandon Clarke

The most poignant Gonzaga story this week has nothing to do with wins and losses. Four months after Brandon Clarke's shocking death — and on what would have been his 30th birthday — the Memphis Grizzlies announced a season-long tribute to the former Bulldog forward. Clarke will be honored with a jersey patch worn throughout the 2026–27 campaign, with a dedicated ceremony planned for the team's home opener. For a franchise still processing grief, the gesture is as much for the locker room as it is for the fans. Clarke spent his entire NBA career in Memphis after starring at Gonzaga, and the organization has made clear his memory won't fade when the season tips off.

Chet Holmgren: Cornerstone or Trade Chip?

Chet Holmgren is simultaneously one of the most valuable and most discussed names in NBA trade circles — and both facts are connected. The Thunder center, a DPOY finalist, is being tabbed as a statistical X-factor in Oklahoma City's push for a title alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with projections suggesting his defensive presence becomes even more critical following the roster turnover around SGA. But at least one ESPN insider believes OKC will eventually part with either Holmgren or Jalen Williams before the 2027 offseason, a natural consequence of a team that has built more talent than it can keep on one payroll. For now, Holmgren remains a Thunder cornerstone — just one that's drawing eyeballs from around the league.

Sabonis Stuck in Trade Purgatory

Domantas Sabonis isn't going anywhere fast, and that might be the most Sacramento Kings thing imaginable. The Kings' asking price for their three-time All-Star remains steep enough that the Charlotte Hornets — reportedly the most aggressive suitor all offseason — have yet to advance to serious talks, per NBA insider Jake Fischer. Sabonis, meanwhile, made a heartfelt public return to Spokane amid the swirling rumors, a reminder that Gonzaga remains home base no matter how uncertain his NBA future looks. The Kings aren't close to a deal, according to multiple reports, which means the drama rolls into training camp unresolved.

Anton Watson's Training Camp Shot

The week brought a smaller but meaningful development for another Zag: Anton Watson signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, earning a training camp opportunity with the franchise that already employs fellow Gonzaga alum Drew Timme. Watson, 25, was selected 54th overall by Boston in the 2024 draft after five seasons in Spokane, where he earned All-WCC First Team honors as a senior. He averaged 11 points per game for the South Bay Lakers last season. The Exhibit 10 deal is a training camp invite, not a roster guarantee — and indeed, the Lakers subsequently waived Watson before the preseason opened — but the door cracked open for a stretch forward who has spent his post-draft career fighting for one.

Gonzaga's NBA footprint this week ranged from tribute patches to trade rumors to a young forward on the fringe of a roster. It's a reminder of how wide — and how human — the Bulldog pipeline actually runs.

Three Gonzaga alumni are commanding NBA offseason headlines as the 2026–27 season approaches — and none of their situations are entirely settled.

Chet Holmgren: Playoff Hangover, Olympic Ambitions

Chet Holmgren enters the offseason carrying two distinct narratives. The Thunder center had a rough finish to Oklahoma City's postseason, and according to Sports Illustrated, the fallout from that disappointing Western Conference Finals performance could realistically damage his chances at a 2027 All-Star selection. For a player with Holmgren's ceiling, that's a storyline worth watching.

The lighter side of his offseason? Teammate Jared McCain trolled Holmgren's NBA 2K27 strength rating in a YouTube video during a Dallas training session — the kind of locker-room ribbing that tends to mean the vibe is still good in OKC. And Holmgren himself isn't moping. Per Heavy Sports, he's already locked in on an international stage, eyeing a potential Olympic showdown with Victor Wembanyama — the San Antonio Spurs star who helped end the Thunder's championship defense this past spring. Holmgren reportedly beat Wembanyama on the international stage as a teenager. He wants another shot.

Domantas Sabonis: Trade Rumors, Real and Fabricated

It has been a chaotic few weeks in the Sabonis trade market — and not entirely for legitimate reasons. A viral report claimed the Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets were close to finalizing a deal centered on Grayson Allen, Grant Williams, and two first-round picks. A Kings insider quickly shot it down, and ClutchPoints confirmed the rumor was fake.

But the underlying premise isn't entirely fiction. Sports Illustrated reports that a Sabonis trade remains realistic, as the three-time All-Star center is seeking a move that better serves his career trajectory. FanSided identified three teams with both the need and the assets to make a run at him. The Hornets may have been a fabrication, but Sacramento fans shouldn't get too comfortable — real suitors are circling the Kings' franchise cornerstone.

Ryan Nembhard: Landing Spot Secured in Atlanta

The youngest Nembhard to reach the NBA is officially a Hawk. Atlanta acquired Ryan Nembhard in a three-team trade alongside Luguentz Dort roughly two months ago, and the Hawks have been working through the roster math ever since. Per Sports Illustrated, Atlanta carried 17 players through the summer before waiving Devin Carter to begin clearing cap space — a direct consequence of Nembhard's arrival reshaping the roster. More moves are expected as training camp approaches.

Meanwhile, older brother Andrew Nembhard is entering his fifth season with the Indiana Pacers, where he figures in the team's backcourt rotation alongside newcomer Kelly Oubre Jr. The Nembhards are now division rivals — a subplot Gonzaga fans will be tracking all season.

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Three alumni, three genuinely different stories: one star looking to reclaim his All-Star standing, one who can't stay out of the trade rumor mill, and one rookie establishing himself in a new city. For Bulldog fans, the 2026–27 NBA season is already must-watch television.

Gonzaga Alumni Report | NBA | Aug. 30–Sept. 5, 2026

The biggest story in the NBA this week has a Bulldog at its center — and Domantas Sabonis isn't hiding his ambitions.

Sabonis Forces the Issue in Sacramento

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst on the Hoops Collective podcast, Sabonis has hired new representation as part of an overt push to engineer a trade out of Sacramento. The Kings have long fielded calls on their All-Star big man, but a move has remained elusive. Now, with Sabonis reportedly doing "everything he can to leave," the pressure on Sacramento's front office is accelerating.

The market is crowded. Sports Illustrated identified three serious trade destinations with the Kings' future growing increasingly uncertain. The Boston Celtics have surfaced as one suitor — Heavy Sports detailed a proposed package led by guard Derrick White that would send Sabonis to Boston, giving the Celtics a playmaking big to anchor their frontcourt. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors had previously kicked Sabonis's tires, though ClutchPoints reports that Toronto's recent addition of Kawhi Leonard may have cooled that pursuit, redirecting organizational priorities away from a blockbuster frontcourt trade.

Sabonis, who has been with Sacramento since 2022 and ranks among the NBA's elite big men by nearly every measure, now enters the offseason as arguably the most consequential trade chip on the market. How the Kings respond — and how quickly — will define their direction for years.

Hachimura's Clippers Chapter Gets Complicated

While Sabonis dominates the trade wire, fellow Gonzaga alum Rui Hachimura is navigating turbulence of a different kind. The Los Angeles Clippers were hit with historic NBA penalties this week following a league investigation into salary cap circumvention tied to the Kawhi Leonard situation — costing the franchise five future first-round picks. Heavy Sports reports that analysts are now suggesting Hachimura, who left the Lakers to join the Clippers, may already "regret" the move as the organization absorbs the fallout. The Clippers' asset strip raises real questions about their ability to compete and build around their roster in the near term.

Holmgren and the Thunder's Championship Calculus

Chet Holmgren's name isn't attached to any trade rumors — which, in this market, is a compliment. ClutchPoints reports that Oklahoma City, with Holmgren entrenched alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, is widely viewed as the heavy favorite to represent the West in the NBA Finals. The Thunder are described as coming back "in full force" after relinquishing the conference throne to the Knicks last season. For Holmgren, the path forward looks like a genuine title window — no drama required.

Suggs Anchors Orlando's Guard Room

In Orlando, Jalen Suggs is drawing positive previews ahead of the 2026–27 season. Sports Illustrated's position preview for the Magic's point guard room frames Suggs as a central figure in the team's backcourt plans, a vote of confidence for the former No. 5 overall pick as he looks to cement a leadership role.

The Sabonis saga will dominate Gonzaga-NBA headlines deep into the offseason. Whether he lands in Boston, Toronto, or somewhere else entirely, the Bulldogs' most prominent NBA name is about to play for a new city — it's just a matter of where.