Santa Clara’s Allen Graves no longer flying under radar ahead of second Gonzaga meeting | Key matchup

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Earlier this week, Allen Graves offered a theory on why college basketball programs in high-major conferences probably passed up on the opportunity to recruit the versatile 6-foot-9 forward from Louisiana.

“I would say the biggest reason is my body, my body wasn’t in the best shape,” Graves said while appearing as a guest on the Field of 68’s West Coast Conference Insider podcast. “I called myself ‘Chubby Allen’ back then. I was Chubby Allen, I wasn’t fully developed or anything like that.”

Their loss was Santa Clara’s gain.

Herb Sendek’s program has become synonymous with transforming under-the-radar high school/transfer portal prospects into NBA Draft picks, with notable examples like recent NBA champion Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Brandin Podziemski (Golden State Warriors).

The trend could continue with Graves, who developed during a redshirt season in 2024-25 and has blossomed into a breakout star for a Santa Clara program that’s on the verge of punching its first ticket to the NCAA Tournament since 1996.

Graves wasn’t receiving much buzz as a potential NBA Draft prospect before Santa Clara’s last meeting with Gonzaga, but his stock is considerably higher a month later, with the Broncos set to host the 12th-ranked Zags at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) on Saturday in one of the most anticipated games in Leavey Center history.

Mark Few and his coaching staff have a much better idea of what they can expect from the forward after he scored 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting, pulled down eight rebounds and notched three steals in Santa Clara’s 89-77 loss at McCarthey Athletic Center.

That’s still the second-highest scoring game of the season for Graves, who’s only a week removed from a 30-point, 13-rebound double-double in Santa Clara’s 96-92 win at Washington State. The forward is still coming off the bench for the Broncos, but he’s now reached double figures in 11 straight games, has six games with at least 10 rebounds and ranks second in the WCC with 2.3 steals in conference games.

A native of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, Graves averages 11.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals. His ability to space the floor as a 41.9% 3-point shooter hasn’t gone unnoticed by draft analysts, who’ve tabbed Graves as a potential prospect for the 2026 or 2027 Draft.

“I’m skeptical on him being a 2026 (prospect),” the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote on X. “Think he is a year a way physically in terms of his frame. Just get into elite shape. Needs that to be able to guard in the NBA. But he’s a future NBA guy, (in my opinion).”

Graves’ minutes normally don’t overlap with those of 7-foot-1 Bukky Oboye, but the freshman reserve is averaging 22.7 minutes while the sophomore starter averages just 18.1.

Both will have the task of handling Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, who had 34 points in a 12-point win over Santa Clara last month. Graves and Oboye each average 3.3 fouls per game and both players had four fouls in the last meeting with Gonzaga.

Without frontcourt mate Braden Huff, it’ll be equally important for Ike to stay out of foul trouble in Saturday’s game. He’ll be the main defender on Graves, but the Zags could also turn to 7-footer Ismaila Diagne, who has the length to disrupt the smaller Santa Clara forward and came through for Few’s team at the Leavey Center last season, scoring nine points with four rebounds.

“It’s definitely exciting, them coming in being Gonzaga with the pedigree they have,” Graves told KRON4 News of Saturday’s matchup. “Being here, it’s going to be a packed out crowd, it’s going to be a great environment to play in.”