Gonzaga Point Guard Braeden Smith to Enter Transfer Portal

The sophomore is the second Bulldog in two days to announce plans to leave the program.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:54pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented college basketball game, with sharp planes of navy blue and red representing the Gonzaga Bulldogs' team colors.The departure of key players like Braeden Smith creates challenges for Gonzaga as they look to maintain their status as an elite college basketball program.Spokane Today

Gonzaga point guard Braeden Smith will be entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report. Smith joined the Bulldogs last season as a transfer from Colgate, where he was named the Patriot League Player of the Year. At Gonzaga, he averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists per game in 17 minutes of action. Smith is the second Gonzaga player in the last two days to announce plans to enter the transfer portal, following forward Emmanuel Innocenti.

Why it matters

Gonzaga is coming off another strong season but will now need to replace two key contributors from its rotation as it looks to reload for the 2026-27 campaign. The loss of Smith and Innocenti is a setback for the Bulldogs, who have maintained their status as one of the top programs in college basketball in recent years.

The details

Smith joined Gonzaga this past season as a transfer from Colgate, where he was named the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2025. At Gonzaga, he played a reserve role, averaging 5.1 points, 3.6 assists, and 17 minutes per game. His decision to enter the transfer portal comes just a day after teammate Emmanuel Innocenti announced his own plans to leave the program.

  • On April 6, 2026, Gonzaga point guard Braeden Smith announced his intent to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

The players

Braeden Smith

A sophomore point guard who transferred to Gonzaga from Colgate, where he was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2025.

Emmanuel Innocenti

A Gonzaga forward who announced his intent to enter the transfer portal a day before Smith.

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What’s next

It remains to be seen where Smith will land next, but his departure is a setback for Gonzaga as the program looks to maintain its status as one of the top teams in college basketball.

The takeaway

The loss of two key contributors in Smith and Innocenti is a challenge for Gonzaga, which has established itself as a consistent national title contender in recent years. The Bulldogs will need to reload their roster and find replacements for the production they are losing through the transfer portal.