Pac-12 is building an elite hoops conference, Gonzaga to join league in 2026

The Pac-12 is building an elite basketball league to compliment a highly intriguing football product.

In addition to the five Mountain West schools that are now on board, Gonzaga has also announced that they are leaving the WCC and joining the Pac-12 starting in 2026.

Brent McMurphy originally broke the news last week but was refuted at the time. In the end, the long-time college football reporter was right after all though, as the college basketball powerhouse is officially set to help Colorado State, San Diego State, etc, rebuild the historic “conference of champions”.

Obviously Gonzaga does not have a football program, so the move is not the last domino to fall for the Pac-12. It is a massive PR win for the conference and its bold vision though.

Gonzaga is one of the truly elite basketball programs in the country. They’ve made every NCAA Tournament since 1999 and they’ve made at least the Sweet 16 in nine straight years.

A basketball conference with Gonzaga, SDSU, Boise State, CSU, Oregon State, Utah State and Washington State is a phenomenal base to build around, and very similarly to the Big East, should be desirable from a TV standpoint.

National pundits jumped at the chance to mock the conference when UNLV ended up deciding to stay in the Mountain West. Reports of the Pac-12’s demise may have been a little premature it seems.

It’s going to be interesting to see what now happens with schools like Memphis or maybe even UCONN. No matter who they grab though, it’s clear that there is hope for the future of the Pac-12.

With Gonzaga on board, more than half of the eight members made the NCAA Tournament last spring and the average 2024 KenPom ranking for the conference is 75. Without Fresno State’s outlier ranking of 237, the conference average would actually be 58, so if the Bulldogs can elevate on the hoops side, then we’ll really talking.

I cannot wait to see the Zags come to Moby Arena. And I cannot wait to see what move comes next.