yahoo - 1/30/2026 7:10:09 PM - GMT (+2 )
NBA All-Star Weekend is almost here, and Gonzaga has a brief breather before Saturday’s clash with Saint Mary’s, so the pause offers a natural moment to check in on the program’s NBA presence. As of this writing, 12 former Zags sit on active NBA rosters, with a couple more still grinding for call-ups in the G League, a level of representation that continues to place Gonzaga alongside Duke and Kentucky as one of the sport’s most reliable pro pipelines. The season has unfolded unevenly for that group, shaped by injuries, shifting roles, and a few long-awaited opportunities finally breaking through. Some veterans have spent stretches managing their bodies, some younger players have begun earning real minutes, and others are making the most of every window they get. With the NBA drifting towards its midseason break, here’s where some Gonzaga alums stand right now.
Brandon Clarke – Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke will be out several weeks. https://t.co/OtkYoGIEtzpic.twitter.com/pC9I9GgWL5
— Action News 5 (@WMCActionNews5) December 22, 2025
At this point, Brandon Clarke’s NBA career reads like a running battle with his own body. After missing the second half of last season with a PCL sprain suffered in March, Clarke clawed his way back in time for the 2025–26 opener, only to log roughly a game and a half before a calf strain shut him down again. He has been sidelined since December 20, extending a frustrating pattern for a player whose impact has consistently outweighed his availability. The latest setback follows a career already interrupted by a torn Achilles, repeated lower-body issues, and a knee synovitis procedure last fall, yet the outlook remains cautiously optimistic, with league sources indicating a likely return roughly a month from now and no long-term concern attached to the current injury
Zach Collins – Chicago Bulls
INJURY UPDATE:
— Bulls Nation (@BullNationCHI) January 28, 2026
Zach Collins remains in a walking boot and won’t be re-evaluated for two more weeks, per @KCJHoop#BullsNation | #SeeRedpic.twitter.com/mTwFKFcLnI
Collins’ season in Chicago has unfolded in fits and starts, with injuries consistently interrupting any chance at continuity. He missed the opening stretch of the year with a broken left wrist, returned in early December, and briefly settled into a rotation role before another setback arrived. Over the 10 games he played in December, Collins averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per night, offering efficient interior scoring before a sprained right big toe sidelined him again late in the month. As of late January, he remained in a walking boot, though the Bulls have indicated he is expected to return to practice around the All-Star break, with a game return hoped to follow shortly after.
Rui Hachimura – Los Angeles Lakers
Rui Hachimura passes Magic & Kareem for the 2nd most games in Lakers history with:
— Real App (@realapp) January 27, 2026
20+ PTS
95%+ TS pic.twitter.com/5VNvlql9qx
Hachimura has settled into a steady role with the Lakers, averaging around 30 minutes per night while bouncing between the starting lineup and a recent move to a sixth-man role. He’s scoring about 12 points per game and knocking down 43.4 percent of his threes, providing reliable spacing and secondary offense. The highs and lows have been visible: a season-high 28 against Portland back in November, followed by a scoreless 18-minute outing on 0-for-7 shooting against Cleveland. Overall, he remains a trusted rotation piece whose minutes and role continue to fluctuate with lineup needs. If rumors are true and what that lineup ultimately needs is a first-round 2026 draft pick instead of Hachimura, we’ll find out in the next week.
Drew Timme – Los Angeles Lakers
DREW TIMME! Los Angeles Lakers two-way contract big man & NCAA legend Drew Timme BALLED OUT in their 132-116 LOSS vs. Portland! 🪣
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) January 18, 2026
📊 21 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 9/12 FGM, 3/4 3PM, 29 MIN. LOSS
Should Timme get a standard contract & more minutes? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/wx7tx0msMB
After getting cut by Brooklyn, Timme once again played his way back onto an NBA roster with a dominant G League stint, this time earning a two-way deal with the Lakers. The NBA production has been modest so far at just over three points per game, though the upside has shown through in flashes, including a 21-point night against Portland. Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer remains in a tenuous spot on a two-way contract, but his continued G League dominance, paired with public praise from LeBron James, suggests he has done everything within his control to keep the door open.
Corey Kispert – Atlanta Hawks
Corey Kispert 17 Points full highlight vs Rockets I 25-26 NBA Season pic.twitter.com/yjWPQKg69D
— Hoops Showtime (@HoopsShowtime12) January 30, 2026
After spending four and a half seasons as Mr. Reliable on a Washington Wizards team stuck in perpetual rebuilding mode, Corey Kispert was blessedly dealt to Atlanta in November alongside CJ McCollum as part of the Trae Young trade and has stepped directly into the Hawks’ starting lineup. Since arriving, he’s shooting about 33 percent from three and averaging just under nine points per game. Atlanta sits 3rd in the Southeast Division with a season record of 24-26. They’re 4-5 since Kispert’s arrival, but the move has already given him something he rarely had in Washington: meaningful minutes on a team still trying to win games.
Julian Strawther – Denver Nuggets
Postgame with Julian Strawther after another next man up win for the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/OKtp2I7cGd
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) January 24, 2026
Strawther’s third year in Denver has turned into a constant shuffle. His minutes have dropped to around 10 per game after averaging 21 last season, and his place in the rotation has rarely felt secure, tied closely to whether the shot is falling and if the guys ahead of him on the depth chart are healthy. The numbers have been uncharacteristically rough for a guy who made a college career off his three-point shot. He’s just 8-for-37 from three on the season, but the flashes of offensive greatness have occasionally shown through. When injuries ripped through the Nuggets’ lineup, Strawther finally got runway and delivered a season-high 20 points in 27 minutes against Milwaukee, staying on the floor despite a 1-for-6 mark from outside by attacking off the bounce and applying foul pressure. With Denver suddenly thin, a player who looked like trade bait a few weeks ago now sits one bad ankle or hamstring injury away from a starting role, a reminder of how fast things change on a title contender
Kelly Olynyk – San Antonio Spurs
Captain Canada Kelly Olynyk 🇨🇦🏀 getting it done on both ends. pic.twitter.com/A3Z0TLnBWc
— Matty Ireland (@TheMattyIreland) January 3, 2026
Olynyk’s latest stop has him in San Antonio, his eighth team in 13 seasons, and very much in a veteran support role. Playing behind Victor Wembanyama (a legit superstar) and fellow journeyman Luke Kornet has pushed his minutes down to a career-low 9.5 per night across 28 games, but the impact still shows up in quieter ways. He steadies lineups, keeps the ball moving, and brings a level of professionalism that young teams tend to lean on, especially one built around a generational centerpiece. At this stage, Olynyk feels closer to the end than the beginning, the kind of long-tenured pro who may bounce once more or may simply have found a final landing spot as a trusted locker-room presence who still knows how to help teams function.
Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings
Some important recent Kings rumors that have come out:
— Kings Lead (@KingsLeadSM) January 23, 2026
– At least 10 teams have called about Keon Ellis, with the expectation of him being traded before the deadline, per @sam_amick.
– Domantas Sabonis is a legitimate candidate to be a Toronto Raptor by the deadline,… pic.twitter.com/uYNkO0Iq47
It has been a brutal season in Sacramento, with the Kings sitting at 12-37 and buried near the bottom of the Western Conference, a context that has pushed Sabonis back into the center of the trade rumor mill. Miami, Toronto, Phoenix, and Chicago have all surfaced as possible landing spots in recent weeks. Despite missing 27 games earlier in the year with a torn meniscus, Sabonis has been productive when available, averaging 15.4 points and 11.2 rebounds and recording double-doubles in 11 of the 18 games he has played. He has been back on the floor over the past couple weeks, steady as ever, even as the losses pile up. Wherever he lands next, the hope is simple: a roster sturdy enough to let Sabonis amplify winning rather than shoulder it alone.
Jalen Suggs – Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs was putting in work 😮💨
— Fliff (@fliff) January 25, 2026
pic.twitter.com/NO3g6wNDQD
Injuries have again shaped Suggs’ season, but he has managed to appear in 26 games for Orlando despite missing time with an MCL contusion. When healthy, his role remains substantial, logging around 26 minutes per night while averaging 14.4 points and 4.7 assists. The offense has come back in bursts, but the defensive impact has never wavered, with Suggs continuing to operate as a full-court irritant who changes games with pressure and anticipation. Orlando sits at 24–22, hovering just above .500, and their margin remains thin enough that a fully settled version of Suggs, available and decisive, could meaningfully swing the final months of the season.
Ryan Nembhard – Dallas Mavericks
Ryan Nembhard being this good, this early, makes you wonder what NBA Front offices are looking for when drafting
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) December 2, 2025
This is 28 pts, 10 Assists, and 0 Turnovers as Rookie
Insanely good
It’s not like he wasn’t killing at Gonzaga
pic.twitter.com/gUlPhWYZMN
Undersized and undrafted, Nembhard has carved out real minutes anyway, appearing in 35 games for a young Dallas roster built around the league’s newest cornerstone in Cooper Flagg. Gonzaga’s imprint shows up clearly in his adaptability and poise, traits that have helped him earn trust in a guard rotation that shifts almost nightly. Nembhard is doing what he has always done best, organizing offense and keeping teammates fed, averaging just under five assists in 19 minutes per game while knocking down nearly 38 percent of his threes. The ceiling flashes remain there too, most memorably in a 28-point outburst against Denver on December 1, when he went 12-for-14 from the floor and 5-for-7 from deep. The role remains fluid, but Nembhard continues to justify his place by fitting whatever shape the moment requires.
Andrew Nembhard – Indiana Pacers
Andrew Nembhard pulling the chair on drives https://t.co/sVAB7Dt7XQpic.twitter.com/joxMEjR3XC
— AKRiley (@AKRileyy5) August 12, 2025
With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by a torn Achilles and Myles Turner gone after a failed contract resolution, Indiana’s season has unraveled quickly, but Nembhard has gone the opposite direction. Thrust into the lead guard role full time, he is putting together the best year of his career, averaging 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, and shooting 35.8 percent from three while starting all 38 games he has played. The Pacers no longer resemble the contender they were a year ago, and the burden on Nembhard has grown heavier by the week, reflected in career highs across points, assists, and minutes. Indiana sits well off the pace in the East, and with the trade deadline approaching, the front office is expected to look for backcourt help, ideally an off-ball guard who can ease the load and let Nembhard continue doing what he has proven he can do: run a team.
Chet Holmgren – Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren Defense 1/27 vs NOP
— Hoopology (@hoopologyxx) January 28, 2026
~ 8 Points Allowed
~ Held Opponents to 4/11 FG (as primary def)
– 5 Blocks
– 33 Minutes
Thoughts on his defense last night?
*Not every clip included goes towards the Opp FG%, but I included all relevant clips of his defense from the game* pic.twitter.com/xnimEG0lZz
While nearly everyone else on this list has dealt with injuries or role volatility, Holmgren has been the constant for Oklahoma City all season. The Thunder have shuffled bodies around him, losing time from Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams among others, yet Holmgren’s availability and production have anchored a team sitting at 38–11 alongside reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has already played 11 more games than he managed all of last season and is averaging nearly 18 points and a career-best 8.6 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three. The efficiency spikes showed early with a 31-point, 11-rebound night against Atlanta in October, but the steadiness has been just as striking. Holmgren has gone the entire month of January without committing more than two turnovers in a game despite playing roughly 34 minutes per night. A fully healthy Thunder roster sits as the odds-on favorite to win another league title, and if Oklahoma City pulls off a repeat, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren will be at the center of it.
Taken together, this group reflects both the breadth and the staying power of Gonzaga’s NBA presence. There are stars carrying franchises, role players adapting to new contexts, veterans extending long careers through feel and professionalism, and young guards fighting daily for minutes in crowded rotations. The paths look different, the situations change fast, and the margins remain thin, but the through line holds: Gonzaga continues to send players into the league who find ways to matter. As the NBA season turns toward its stretch run and the Zags refocus on Saint Mary’s and March, the program’s imprint at the highest level remains as visible, varied, and resilient as ever.
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