Former Gonzaga walk-on Will Graves heads to Portland State as an assistant coach

Portland State has added another Gonzaga connection to its Division I men’s basketball program. Will Graves, a former Gonzaga walk-on who later transitioned into coaching, is joining the Vikings as an assistant coach, according to a release shared by the Portland State men’s basketball program and reported by Sports Illustrated.

Graves’ Gonzaga path is part of a bigger coaching pipeline at a program known primarily for producing NBA-level talent, but also for developing former players who understand the standards and habits required to stay competitive. Sports Illustrated noted that multiple current Gonzaga assistants are former Bulldogs, and it placed Graves’ hiring in the same alumni-to-coaching stream that has seen other Zag-connected figures take assistant roles around the Division I landscape.

On the court, Graves was not a scholarship mainstay, which is why his later rise as a coach stands out. Sports Illustrated reported that Graves appeared in 39 Gonzaga games from 2019 to 2022, scoring 25 total points and grabbing 12 rebounds. He also made a pair of steals, including shooting 7 of 20 from three-point range (35 percent).

The timing of his playing career also placed him around one of Gonzaga’s most memorable tournament runs. Sports Illustrated further reported that Graves played in ten games during the 2020-21 season that ended with Gonzaga’s national championship loss to Baylor, a stretch that often functions as a blueprint for younger players at the program and can shape how future assistants teach preparation and game-day decision-making.

For Portland State, the addition matters in practical terms: assistant coaching roles are typically the engine for recruiting operations, day-to-day skill development, scouting preparation, and player development continuity. Hiring an alumnus of Gonzaga’s system can bring a familiar approach to practice structure, film habits, and role-player development, particularly in conferences where margins are tight and depth is tested through the season.

The Vikings’ specific staff configuration and responsibilities for Graves were not fully detailed in the available reporting, so what he will emphasize most inside the program remains to be seen. Still, the reported move indicates Portland State’s willingness to recruit coaching backgrounds rooted in programs with national expectations and proven player-development frameworks.

What to watch next is how Graves’ first full months on the job translate into team-building priorities. Recruiting is the most immediate area where assistant coaches tend to leave fingerprints, but player development and preparation routines also become visible quickly once the preseason period begins. Graves’ background as a walk-on who experienced Gonzaga’s culture from the inside adds an element of credibility when communicating what it takes to earn minutes and maintain standards over time.