Gonzaga Recruiting Target Dean Rueckert Announces Top Five Finalists originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Dean Rueckert, a four-star small forward in the 2026 recruiting class from Provo, Utah, announced the final five schools he will be choosing from in a social media post on Thursday.
Rueckert will choose between Washington, Stanford, Clemson, BYU, and Utah.
A 6’6 small forward from Timpview high school in Provo, Rueckert is a four-star recruit who is ranked No. 70 overall in 247Sports’ class rankings and No. 62 in the site’s composite rankings, coming in as the No. 24 small forward in the class.
He’s already taken an official visit to Washington and has plans to visit BYU in September as well, with more visits reportedly to come before he makes his final decision.
Rueckert’s stock is climbing as a member of the Utah Prospects on the Nike EYBL circuit. His strong outside shooting and sturdy 6’6 frame make him a high upside prospect, and he showed what he can do in a game on Friday where he drilled six threes en route to a game-high 22 points.
Gonzaga contacted Rueckert early in the recruiting process, but the staff has since turned their attention to other 2026 recruits on the wing including Tyran Stokes – the top ranked player in the class – as well as No. 23 ranked Cameron Holmes, who received an offer from the Zags late last week.
The Zags are also pursuing center Sam Funches – who is set to take an official visit in early October – and point guard Ikenna Alozie, who listed Gonzaga in his top eight on Tuesday.
Related: Top Ranked Recruit in 2027 Class Receives Offer from Gonzaga
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.