With transfer portal targets slipping away and roster questions looming, Gonzaga University men’s basketball finally broke through on the recruiting trail.
Three-star forward Parker Jefferson, a top-150 recruit in the Class of 2025, announced his pledge to the Bulldogs on Friday, shortly after concluding an official visit to Spokane. His commitment was first reported by On3’s Joe Tipton.
“When my recruitment first started, all I was hearing was ‘You’re a Gonzaga type of guy,’” Jefferson told Tipton. “Now that I finally got to get to campus and meet the staff, I knew right away this is where I belong. I look forward to seeing The Kennel rocking this year, and I’m excited to be playing under such an incredible coach in coach [Mark] Few.”
The 6-foot-9 Jefferson, originally from Waxahachie, Texas, completed his high school career at Inglewood High School in Southern California. As a senior, he averaged 16.3 points, 11.2 rebound and 1.5 assists, helping lead Inglewood to a 26-7 record.
A former Minnesota signee, Jefferson reopened his recruitment in March following the firing of Gophers head coach Ben Johnson. GU was his second official visit since receiving a release from his National Letter of Intent, following a trip to Rutgers.
His touch, mobility and footwork make him a natural fit for GU’s frontcourt system, which has a track record of producing productive, versatile bigs like Domantas Sabonis, Drew Timme, Graham Ike and Braden Huff.
GU’s frontcourt is expected to be one of the nation’s best next season with Ike and Huff both returning, while rising sophomore Ismaila Diagne offers additional rim protection and rotational flexibility for head coach Mark Few. But with Ike set to graduate and Huff potentially eyeing a professional leap, Jefferson represents a potentially key piece for the program’s long-term future.
He becomes the second commit in GU’s 2025 high school recruiting class, joining four-star wing Davis Fogle. The Zags will also debut two redshirts next season in 6-foot Colgate transfer Braeden Smith and 6-foot-7 Florida State transfer Jalen Warley.
Also returning for 2025–26 is forward Emmanuel Innocenti, whose defensive tenacity and positional versatility could help ease some of the physical burden on Jefferson in the paint. Innocenti’s switchability and on-ball pressure complement Jefferson’s more traditional interior defensive skill set.
Still, the Jefferson pledge comes amid a larger backdrop of transfer portal inactivity. Despite checking in at No. 20 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, GU remains one of just three high-major programs — alongside Marquette and Stanford — yet to land a portal commitment this offseason.
Five players from last season’s roster have entered the portal, and as May begins, Few and his staff remain in search of reinforcements.