Gonzaga just took a hit nobody saw coming on a random Saturday. Starting point guard Mario Saint-Supery is leaving the program to join Valencia Basket of Spain’s Liga ACB, according to Theo Lawson of the Spokesman Review. The move isn’t tied to the transfer portal. Saint-Supery is simply gone, headed overseas to play professionally.
Lawson called the news “shocking” on X, and it’s hard to argue. The Bulldogs now enter the 2026-27 season without a single point guard signed to the roster. That’s a real problem for a team that will likely be picked to win the national title.
What happens next at point guard?
The obvious question: does Gonzaga ask a recruit to reclassify and enroll early? Lawson pointed to 2027 commit Dooney Johnson as someone to watch. But three days before the Saint-Supery news broke, Johnson told Lawson that neither he nor the Gonzaga staff had even discussed reclassification. That could change fast.
Lawson also noted that top-2027 prospect Marcus Spears Jr. just reclassified and will join Texas immediately. Gonzaga might try the same trick. But it’s not a sure thing.
The Saint-Supery era ends quietly
Saint-Supery’s last college game came against Texas in the NCAA Tournament. The 11th-seeded Longhorns knocked off the higher-seeded Bulldogs 74-68 to reach the Sweet 16. Saint-Supery had nine points and five assists in that loss. Not a bad farewell performance, even if the result stung.
He announced his decision on Instagram, thanking Gonzaga and the fans. The post didn’t offer much explanation. But the move makes sense from a career standpoint. Valencia plays in one of Europe’s top leagues, and Saint-Supery gets to turn pro without waiting.
Bigger picture for the Zags
Gonzaga is already in transition. The program officially joined the Pac-12 on July 1, leaving the West Coast Conference behind. Mark Few spent the offseason loudly opposing March Madness expansion to 76 teams. Now he’s got a roster hole to fill before any of that matters.
The Bulldogs will likely enter next season as a favorite to win it all. But the point guard room just got awfully thin. Whether Few scrambles for a reclassification, hits the transfer portal, or goes another route, this is a problem he didn’t expect to have on a random Saturday in July.
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