Gonzaga sells its family atmosphere in recruiting and it apparently applies in coaching searches. For Bell, it worked on two levels. He thoroughly enjoyed his four-year run as a starting guard on some of Gonzaga’s greatest teams. He also wanted his family under one roof after being separated for long stretches while playing in Poland, France and Greece.

Preseason recognition continues to roll in for Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie. The senior forward is one of 20 players on the watch list for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

Ten Gonzaga teams achieved 100 percent graduation rates and student-athletes graduated at a 98 percent rate, tied for seventh nationally, according to the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) statistics.

Killian Tillie was named to the CBS Sports preseason All-America third team.

Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert and Washington State’s CJ Elleby are among 20 players on the watch list for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.

The top basketball game in the history of the McCarthey Athletic Center will happen this season when the North Carolina Tar Heels pack their bags and head more than 2,500 miles west to play the Zags in Spokane.

David Stockton’s training-camp stay with the Los Angeles Lakers is over after 11 days. The Lakers waived Stockton on Tuesday but the former Gonzaga guard could end up playing for the South Bay Lakers, the organization’s G League affiliate.

Add two more games to Gonzaga’s lineup of nationally televised games. The Zags’ matchups at Santa Clara (Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.) and vs. Loyola Marymount (Feb. 6, 8 p.m.) will be on CBS Sports Network.

Former Gonzaga point guard Josh Perkins was waived by the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA team announced Sunday.

Gonzaga will make at least 15 appearances on ESPN networks this season, including both dates with rival Saint Mary’s among eight WCC matchups, the conference announced.

Few reiterated he supports athletes having NIL rights as long as it can be regulated and the playing field stays level, but his comments about “grandstanding politicians” in a 3-minute, 48-second video clip posted on Twitter Monday night sparked some backlash on social media.