Encouraging week for Gonzaga culminates with Kraziness in Kennel showcase

An encouraging news week for Gonzaga basketball fans will culminate with one of the most anticipated events of the preseason, as the Zags host their annual Kraziness in the Kennel showcase on Saturday afternoon.

Doors open at 3 p.m. with the event officially beginning at 4. Those who can’t attend in person will be able to watch a live stream at swxlocalsports.com/spokane/live or catch a delayed version at 7:30 p.m. on SWX. A live radio broadcast will be available through Gonzaga Sports Properties or on the Varsity Sports app.

Thanks to a few positive developments earlier this week, the 6,000 students and fans who scored tickets to Kraziness – in record time, according to GU’s social media platforms – will watch Saturday’s player introductions, pregame hype videos, player speeches, 3-point contest and Blue-White scrimmage with slightly more optimism than they had when the week started.

Early Wednesday morning, Gonzaga’s coaching staff picked up its first commitment in the 2026 recruiting class, from standout German combo guard Jack Kayil. That news probably came as a relief after another recruiting target, four-star wing Herly Brutus, committed to LSU last week and called off his trip to Kraziness.

Another high school recruit, four-star center Sam Funches, is still making the trip west from his home state of Mississippi, to check out Kraziness, tour Gonzaga’s facilities and meet with coaches and players.

Kayil’s commitment on Wednesday came roughly eight hours before GU fans learned Grand Canyon transfer Tyon Grant-Foster had been cleared to practice with the team while the NCAA continues to review his competitive eligibility waiver.

It’s unclear if Grant-Foster will be involved in Kraziness festivities on Saturday, but other new Zags will get to experience a capacity McCarthey Athletic Center crowd for the first time since signing with Mark Few’s program.

That group includes former Florida State and Virginia guard Jalen Warley, who transferred to GU in January and Arizona State guard Adam Miller, along with freshmen Mario Saint-Supery, Davis Fogle and Parker Jefferson.

The timeline of events traditionally include player introductions, an early glimpse of the hype video that will play before home games, speeches from select players, a 3-point shooting contest and abbreviated scrimmage where GU’s starters, rotation players and walk-ons are split into two teams.

Forward Emmanuel Innocenti made the decisive shot in last year’s scrimmage, burying a go-ahead 3-pointer from the left wing with six seconds remaining to give the White team a 36-34 victory.

ESPN college basketball analyst Sean Farnham is returning to emcee the event for the second straight year and DJ Supa Sam, the in-game DJ for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, will also be in attendance.