Report: Gonzaga, Big 12 Resume 'Top-Level Discussions' About Conference Realignment

The Big 12's efforts to make itself into a basketball powerhouse have reportedly focused in on Gonzaga.

Seth Davis of The Messenger reported the Big 12 and Gonzaga have had "top-level discussions" about the school joining the conference. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is reportedly the driving force behind the potential move, as he's recently met with school presidents and athletic directors to pitch his vision.

Gonzaga has not had a football team since 1941, so its addition to the Big 12 would largely be centered on its men's basketball program.

The Bulldogs have not missed the NCAA tournament since Mark Few took over the program in 1999. They have reached the Final Four twice and are a 19-time champion of the West Coast Conference tournament and 22-time champion of the conference's regular season under Few.

While the legendary coach built his resume by winning games with players who did not receive Power Five offers, Gonzaga has increasingly become a player on the recruiting trail. Gonzaga has landed 5-star prospects Jalen Suggs, Chet Holmgren and Hunter Sallis in recent years. Suggs and Holmgren went on to become first-round NBA draft picks, while Sallis failed to make an impact before transferring to Wake Forest.

In past years, Gonzaga was seen as a Cinderella beating up on a weak conference before taking on the big boys come March. A move to the Big 12 would instantly give the Bulldogs program regular-season legitimacy and potentially open the road for more high-profile recruits to join the team.

The Big 12 will already add Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah starting in 2024.