Gonzaga starting point guard Mario Saint-Supery is departing the program to sign with EuroLeague club Valencia. The Spanish squad announced the long-term deal Saturday.

Saint-Supery earned all-West Coast Conference freshman honors last season, averaging 8.6 points per game in his lone year with the Bulldogs. Before arriving at Gonzaga, he had built a reputation in Spain’s Liga ACB, earning the nickname “El Principito,” or “The Little Prince.”

Valencia referenced that nickname in its announcement.

“The Little Prince will make the Roig Arena his new palace,” Valencia said in a release, adding that Saint-Supery would “continue his development at a high competitive level.”

The departure comes at a difficult time for coach Mark Few’s roster, which is set to compete in the new Pac-12 during the 2026-27 season. With the transfer portal closed, Gonzaga has limited options to replace a starting point guard in July.

Saint-Supery, a 6-foot-4 guard, shot 40 percent from three-point range last season and started Gonzaga’s final eight games. That stretch included a 21-point performance against Santa Clara in the WCC tournament championship game, along with 13 assists and four turnovers across two NCAA tournament appearances.

Saint-Supery had been expected to serve as Gonzaga’s point guard alongside returning players Braden Huff and Davis Fogle and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop as the Bulldogs prepare to compete outside the WCC for the first time since 1979.

The move also reflects a broader shift in how international prospects approach college basketball. The NCAA’s 5-for-5 rule now starts a player’s academic clock upon enrollment or the academic year after turning 19, whichever comes first, reducing the window for older international players to compete at the Division I level.