Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Zimmerman zoomed to portal front to pick Lopes
4/17/2026 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Former Quinnipiac wing averaged 15 points last season as sophomore
Before Grand Canyon basketball could show Jaden Zimmerman how much it has to offer his basketball life, an unexpected GCU representative gave him a pitch that proved memorable to the new Lope.
An 11-year-old boy named Bryson approached Zimmerman and said, "What's up, Jaden? I watched a lot of your film. We need you."
Bryson knows basketball and the Lopes because his father is GCU head coach Bryce Drew, who added his first transfer portal signing when Zimmerman chose the Lopes after averaging 15.1 points last season as a Quinnipiac sophomore.
"We're really excited to add Jaden," Drew said. "Jaden brings us a lot of different skill sets on the perimeter. He can shoot the 3. He's very explosive in transition, and he can finish above the rim. We look forward to working with Jaden this summer and acclimating him to our style of play."
The 6-foot-5 swingman from Bronx, New York, started 45 games for Quinnipiac teams that won 39 games over two seasons, including his all-conference rookie campaign when the Bobcats won the Metro Atlantic in 2024-25. Last season, Zimmerman's scoring included five games of 20 points or more and was complemented by season averages of 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
"You aren't getting Quinnipiac's Jaden Zimmerman," Zimmerman said. "You all are getting GCU's Jaden Zimmerman because I'm a whole different player from then to now. Since the season has been over, I've just been in the gym grinding. I worked out with a couple NBA trainers."
Zimmerman, who is 6 feet 5 and 205 pounds, and the Lopes staff talked about him slotting into roles that Jaden Henley held last season for the Lopes. Zimmerman showed a potential to be that type of athletic, strong slasher who gets to the rim and draw fouls. In a career-high 26-point game against Central Florida, Zimmerman went 14 for 16 at the free throw line.
The high-motor guard, nicknamed "Jay-Z," has goals to make the Mountain West All-Defensive Team and to become a more efficient scorer after shooting 37% from the field and 31% from the free throw line. His shot volume increased last season from 8.6 field goal attempts per game as a freshman to 13.1 per game as a sophomore.
After meeting Zimmerman wearing glasses, Drew noted to him that just playing with contacts might be worth a bump.
"I've been playing basketball basically blind my whole life," Zimmerman joked. "That (shooting percentage) is going to change, for sure. I'm going to take way better shots."
Zimmerman was recruited by GCU when Lopes fourth-year assistant coach Marc Rodgers knew him from coaching in Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League. GCU second-year assistant coach Kam Murrell also was familiar with Zimmerman's game from his previous stint as an assistant coach for Iona, a Metro Atlantic opponent of Quinnipiac.
"When I first stepped in the gym at GCU, it felt right," Zimmerman said. "I liked the coaching staff. They're really familiar with my game, so it's a fit. It just made sense to me. I have a good intuition about stuff, so I went with my gut."
Playing since his father got him started in basketball at age 4, Zimmerman grew up watching his Brooklyn cousin, Russ Smith, start for 2013 national champion Louisville and play three seasons in the NBA. Now his mother is the one who is anxious to follow his basketball journey more with trips to Phoenix after retiring as a police officer.
"I'm not used to nothing like that campus," Zimmerman said of GCU. "When I was going around, it low-key felt like a hotel resort. They've got pools outside people's dorms. I've never seen anything like it. It was beautiful. I always wanted to go someplace hot.
"I already had a feeling about it. That thing is moving. That place is going to be jumping. You've got to be ready to perform when the lights are on all night. Let the havoc begin."
An 11-year-old boy named Bryson approached Zimmerman and said, "What's up, Jaden? I watched a lot of your film. We need you."
Bryson knows basketball and the Lopes because his father is GCU head coach Bryce Drew, who added his first transfer portal signing when Zimmerman chose the Lopes after averaging 15.1 points last season as a Quinnipiac sophomore.
"We're really excited to add Jaden," Drew said. "Jaden brings us a lot of different skill sets on the perimeter. He can shoot the 3. He's very explosive in transition, and he can finish above the rim. We look forward to working with Jaden this summer and acclimating him to our style of play."
The 6-foot-5 swingman from Bronx, New York, started 45 games for Quinnipiac teams that won 39 games over two seasons, including his all-conference rookie campaign when the Bobcats won the Metro Atlantic in 2024-25. Last season, Zimmerman's scoring included five games of 20 points or more and was complemented by season averages of 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists."You aren't getting Quinnipiac's Jaden Zimmerman," Zimmerman said. "You all are getting GCU's Jaden Zimmerman because I'm a whole different player from then to now. Since the season has been over, I've just been in the gym grinding. I worked out with a couple NBA trainers."
Zimmerman, who is 6 feet 5 and 205 pounds, and the Lopes staff talked about him slotting into roles that Jaden Henley held last season for the Lopes. Zimmerman showed a potential to be that type of athletic, strong slasher who gets to the rim and draw fouls. In a career-high 26-point game against Central Florida, Zimmerman went 14 for 16 at the free throw line.
The high-motor guard, nicknamed "Jay-Z," has goals to make the Mountain West All-Defensive Team and to become a more efficient scorer after shooting 37% from the field and 31% from the free throw line. His shot volume increased last season from 8.6 field goal attempts per game as a freshman to 13.1 per game as a sophomore.
After meeting Zimmerman wearing glasses, Drew noted to him that just playing with contacts might be worth a bump.
"I've been playing basketball basically blind my whole life," Zimmerman joked. "That (shooting percentage) is going to change, for sure. I'm going to take way better shots."
Zimmerman was recruited by GCU when Lopes fourth-year assistant coach Marc Rodgers knew him from coaching in Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League. GCU second-year assistant coach Kam Murrell also was familiar with Zimmerman's game from his previous stint as an assistant coach for Iona, a Metro Atlantic opponent of Quinnipiac.
"When I first stepped in the gym at GCU, it felt right," Zimmerman said. "I liked the coaching staff. They're really familiar with my game, so it's a fit. It just made sense to me. I have a good intuition about stuff, so I went with my gut."
Playing since his father got him started in basketball at age 4, Zimmerman grew up watching his Brooklyn cousin, Russ Smith, start for 2013 national champion Louisville and play three seasons in the NBA. Now his mother is the one who is anxious to follow his basketball journey more with trips to Phoenix after retiring as a police officer.
"I'm not used to nothing like that campus," Zimmerman said of GCU. "When I was going around, it low-key felt like a hotel resort. They've got pools outside people's dorms. I've never seen anything like it. It was beautiful. I always wanted to go someplace hot.
"I already had a feeling about it. That thing is moving. That place is going to be jumping. You've got to be ready to perform when the lights are on all night. Let the havoc begin."
Players Mentioned
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