Gonzaga enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed with a 30-3 record, but the Bulldogs will be without one of their most important players when they tip off against Kennesaw State on Thursday.
What Is Braden Huff’s Status?
The 6-foot-10 forward has been ruled out for the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament as he continues to recover from a dislocated kneecap suffered in January.
Huff went down in practice in mid-January, just one day before Gonzaga’s road matchup against Washington State. He has not played since, missing 15 consecutive games, a streak that is set to extend through at least the first two rounds of March Madness.
Head coach Mark Few provided an update on Huff’s condition following Selection Sunday. A few confirmed that Huff has progressed to jogging and shooting, but made it clear he will not be available this weekend. The program’s initial timeline was 4 to 8 weeks, but the rehabilitation has now stretched into its 9th week.
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College basketball insider Seth Davis shed additional light on the nature of Huff’s injury, revealing that the forward suffered a dislocated kneecap. According to Davis, this type of injury makes it particularly difficult for a player to regain game conditioning while going through the rehab process.
Should Gonzaga advance past the first two rounds, there is a possibility that Huff could return for the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs would have approximately a week off between the second round and the regional semifinals. That extra time could give Huff the window he needs to get cleared for game action, though nothing is guaranteed.
Before the injury derailed his season, Huff was a driving force for the Bulldogs. Through 18 games, he was averaging 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. His efficiency was remarkable, as he shot 66.2 percent from the field overall.
Huff reached the 20-point mark eight times before going down, and he had a scorching stretch in December, averaging 24.4 points over five games. His best performance came against Campbell when he erupted for 37 points. At the time of his injury, Huff led the entire country with 139 made field goals.
The loss of Huff forced Gonzaga to adapt, and the Bulldogs have done so admirably. Graham Ike has shouldered the offensive load in Huff’s absence, earning West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors. Since Huff went down, Ike has averaged 22.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
The road through March will not be easy without Huff at full strength. Gonzaga opens against Kennesaw State, the Conference USA Tournament champion, on Thursday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Owls play a physical style, ranking second nationally in free throw attempts per game and eighth in offensive rebounds.
For now, the Bulldogs will rely on Ike and the rest of the roster to keep their championship hopes alive. Huff continues working his way back to the court, and Gonzaga fans are holding out hope that a deep tournament run could coincide with their star forward’s return.
