How is Braeden Smith adapting to his new, unexpected role at Gonzaga? ‘Just trying to find the gratitude in it all’

Braeden Smith mapped out what the 2025-26 season could look like when he made a considerable bet on himself transferring from Colgate to Gonzaga 19 months ago.

He spent a full redshirt season conceptualizing how he’d fit in with the Zags, leaving no stone unturned when it came to the physical and mental preparations required to play point guard for Mark Few.

Earlier this spring, when college basketball analysts started to evaluate Gonzaga’s new roster, most did so under the impression Smith would be taking the reins from NCAA assists leader Ryan Nembhard.

Smith would’ve penciled himself in, too.

As for what the picture looks like through 10 games? In some ways, exactly how Smith mocked it up. In others, not remotely close to what he had in mind.

The Zags (9-1) are ranked No. 8 in the country, stacking impressive wins against name-brand programs (Michigan excluded) and seemingly in a strong position to make another deep NCAA Tournament run, as a projected No. 2 seed in bracket simulations.

Smith is having a say in what’s happening on the court, turning in his best game of the season last Friday when he scored 11 points with six assists and six rebounds against Kentucky. He’s been the sturdy leader and steady decision-maker the Zags were after when they signed him in May of 2024.

The experience has delivered in many of the ways Smith hoped – just not all of them.

“Yeah, I would be lying if I told you there’s not a challenge, mental adversity there,” Smith said. “Like I said, trying to find the gratitude in it all and having the opportunity to be out here and play for such a great team and trying to make the most of when I’m out there, can’t complain.”

Early on, Gonzaga went with Smith’s experience over Mario Saint-Supery’s teeming potential in the starting lineup, rolling with the Colgate transfer in the first four games against Texas Southern, Oklahoma, Creighton and Arizona State.

Saint-Supery’s emergence, more than anything else, prompted a change prior to game five, when the Spanish native replaced Smith against Southern Utah. The Zags have switched up the starting lineup a few times since then, but Saint-Supery has been a constant in the first five and shows no signs of handing the spot over.

Smith has adjusted his mindset, attitude and expectations accordingly – a process that isn’t as simple or straightforward as the mature 21-year-old makes it sound.

“Yeah just trying to stay in the moment, be impactful when I’m out there on the court and off the court,” Smith said after the team’s 109-58 victory over North Florida on Sunday. “Still trying to be that leader, vocal leader for the guys and like I said, being ready when my name is called, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench or quick rotations. Just be ready, trying to be a pro is kind of how I’ve been approaching it mentally.

“I think the first month of the season for the team has been great. Individually, I think it’s been pretty solid just playing the right way, trying to run the team to the best of my ability and can’t complain so far.”

Saint-Supery is leading the team in 3-point percentage (53.6%), playing solid defense and connecting on low-percentage passes other players are unlikely to attempt. Smith has been a steady hand in his own right, ranking No. 21 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.75) while leading the team in steal percentage (4.4%), according to KenPom.

Gonzaga benefits in the short- and long-term by keeping both point guards fresh – a luxury that wasn’t available last year when Nembhard logged 35.1 minutes per game and played at least 40 in 10 different games.

“I think we’re super deep and what’s really cool about this team is nobody’s selfish, everyone’s excited when another guy has their night and maybe you don’t have your night, but you’re excited to see your teammate’s success,” junior forward Braden Huff. “So I think that’s really cool, it’s a really unselfish group and makes it a lot of to play with.”

Smith being the prime example.

Not only has he been engaged, the redshirt junior has made a concerted effort to help Saint-Supery, who’s still getting used to the nuances of the college/American game as a true freshman coming from Europe. Smith is adapting to high-major hoops himself, but he’s played 80 college games and spent a full redshirt year learning Gonzaga’s defensive concepts, offensive actions and terminology.

“Just trying my best to be there for him, support him, also challenge him as well,” Smith said. “I think we’ve been getting along and he’s been playing very well this year.”

When Gonzaga reloaded its roster this offseason, it was inevitable certain players would have to sacrifice minutes, shots and opportunities they’d been accustomed to getting at other places.

Smith, the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2023-24, averaged 31 minutes and started in 70 games over two seasons at Colgate. He’s one of three former conference players of the years who’ve come off the bench for Few’s team, joining Tyon Grant-Foster, the 2023-24 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year at Grand Canyon, and Steele Venters, who won Big Sky MVP honors at Eastern Washington in 2022-23.

Guard Adam Miller, virtually a full-time starter at Illinois, LSU and Arizona State, hasn’t budged since moving to Gonzaga’s bench, scoring 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting the last two games. Wing Jalen Warley, a 53-game starter at Florida State, has given the Zags a jolt off the bench with defense and rebounding, averaging 19.1 minutes.

“I think this team just wants to win and everyone’s willing to buy in and do their jobs,” Venters said. “I think we’ve shown that all year.”

Without much separation from one player to the next at multiple positions, Few indicated before the season Gonzaga would spend the nonconference schedule experimenting with various lineups, rotations and combinations. As potent as the Zags have been on the court, save for 40 minutes at the Players Era Festival, that process is still ongoing.

Huff is the only player who’s started in all 10 games, in part because frontcourt mate Graham Ike missed the North Florida game with left ankle soreness.

In some cases, players have gone from the starting lineup to the bench back to the starting lineup. It hasn’t impacted the team’s buy-in, according to Gonzaga’s 27th-year coach.

“Yeah no, I think that’s been really, really good,” Few said. “Obviously winning helps with stuff like that. They’ve been pretty intentional about their team-building and all that. For the most part, great. Yeah, no complaints.”

Buzzwords like “selflessness” and “sacrifice” tend to sink at Gonzaga in a way they don’t elsewhere.

“No one’s bigger than the program and you’ve got to be ready when your name is called and go with the flow,” Smith said. “You know you may not be out there, but your brothers got your back and whoever else is out there is going to take care of it and just being able to have that depth and that opportunity for us to do those things is very fortunate and makes us that much better.”

When Smith visualized what his first season suiting up for Gonzaga would look like, there’s a good chance the Seattle Prep product peered ahead to Saturday’s matchup with No. 25 UCLA at Climate Pledge Arena.

Smith has been busy rounding up tickets for family members and friends in anticipation of his first college game back home in Seattle. The point guard attended Seattle SuperSonics games as a child, but he was only 3 years old when the NBA team vacated KeyArena and relocated to Oklahoma City.

On Saturday, Smith is embracing the opportunity to create new memories he’ll be able to look back on decades from now. Even if the circumstances around his return to Seattle look slightly different than anticipated.

“It’ll be cool to play in front of them and having an opportunity to do it against a great opponent and have an opportunity to get a great win I think goes a long way,” Smith said. “Very fortunate to be able to do these things. So yeah, it’s a blessing.”