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Ranking the top 10 players Gonzaga will face in final WCC season

Originally posted on Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI
By Andy Patton | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 5:01 PM ET

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have one more go around in the West Coast Conference before officially joining the new-look Pac-12 in the 2026-27 season.

While Gonzaga has dominated the WCC for the majority of Mark Few's tenure as head coach, the league has done a good job catching up in recent years. Saint Mary's has been the most notable rival for the Zags, but programs like San Francisco and Santa Clara have had their day in the sun as well.

The transfer portal has allowed rosters to undergo significant changes year in and year out, although many of the toughest players Gonzaga will face in conference play this upcoming season are returners looking to take this team out one last time before the move to the Pac-12.

Below is a look at ten of the best non-Gonzaga players in the WCC, each of whom will give coach Few's team fits on the defensive end of the floor:

1. Tyrone Riley IV - San Francisco

Riley was a standout freshman for the Dons last year, averaging a hair under 10 points per game along with 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals. The 6'6 wing entered the transfer portal and reportedly had interest from Florida and Kentucky, among others, before opting to return to San Francisco.

He should be among the best overall players in the entire WCC next year, and could parlay a successful season into a spot in the 2026 NBA draft.

2. Paulius Murauskas - Saint Mary's

Murauskas was a seldom-used freshman at Arizona before transferring to Saint Mary's and breaking out, averaging 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds for Randy Bennett's team last year. He is also the only starter from last year's club to return, and should handle a huge workload offensively and defensively for the Gaels.

3. Mikey Lewis - Saint Mary's

Murauskas may be the lone starter back for SMC, but Mikey Lewis might be the best player returning for the Gaels. Lewis averaged 8.2 points in just 16 minutes per game last year, but with Augustas Marciulionis and Jordan Ross both out the door, the path is clear for the 6'3 sophomore to blossom into an All-WCC caliber player in Year 2.

4. Elijah Mahi - Santa Clara

Mahi averaged double figures for Santa Clara last year while only starting 13 out of 32 games, thanks to an execptional 43.4% mark from beyond the arc. With most of Santa Clara's core out the door, Mahi should step into a featured role for coach Herb Sendek and should be among the conference's leading scorers in 2025-26.

5. Ryan Beasley - San Francisco

Beasley averaged 9.0 points and 2.4 assists off the bench last year for the Dons, which is incredibly impressive on a roster that included ball-dominant guards Malik Thomas and Marcus Williams. Both Thomas and Williams are gone, clearing the road for Beasley to blossom into one of the best guards in the entire conference for coach Chris Gerlufsen's team.

6. Kjay Bradley - San Diego

Bradley was a top-tier JuCo find for Steve Lavin and the Toreros, averaging 14.5 points and 3.5 assists last year. He'll be in charge once again in 2025-26, joined by a litany of new transfer additions including Ty-Laur Johnson (Wake Forest), Assane Diop (Colorado), and Bradley Ezewiro (UAB).

7. Josiah Lake - Oregon State

Lake averaged 6.9 points for the Beavers last year, shooting 59.2% on twos, 36.8% from three, and 90.8% from the free throw line. Six of Oregon State's players hit the transfer portal and landed at power conference schools, giving Lake a clear path to take on a much bigger role in Wayne Tinkle's offense. Don't be surprised if the rising junior ends up earning All-WCC accolades at the end of the year.

8. Tomas Thrastarson - Washington State

Injuries ravaged Washington State during its first season in the WCC, but out of the chaos emerged Icelandic freshman Tomas Thrastarson, who ended up starting 11 games and posting solid numbers for David Riley's team. The Cougars lost a ton of production this offseason, and Thrastarson figures to be the primary beneficiary.

9. John Christofilis - Seattle

Christofilis is a Seattle native who began his career at Creighton before transferring to SeattleU. He averaged 12.7 points in 2023-24 and 9.7 points last year, thanks to a surprising drop in his three-point rate, from 39.8% to just 28.5%. Which version of Christofilis shows up this season remains to be seen, but he has the potential to be the Redhawks' first-ever All-WCC selection.

10. Jan Vide - LMU

Gonzaga pursued Vide out of Slovenia before he committed to UCLA for the 2023-24 season. However, he barely saw the floor and ended up transferring to LMU, where he averaged a touch over six points per game last year. The Lions will need to rely on him more this upcoming season, and there is real potential for a true junior breakout year here.