Last Year: 31-6; West Coast Conference regular season Co-Champions and conference tournament Champions, lost in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Mark Few (25th Year; 689-135 at Gonzaga, with 22 NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
| G Ryan Nembhard – 6’0″, 175 – Junior |
| G Nolan Hickman – 6’2″, 183 – Junior |
| G Dusty Stromer – 6’6″, 192 – Freshman |
| F Anton Watson – 6’8″, 228 – Senior (5th) |
| F/C Graham Ike – 6’9″, 240 – Junior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Ryan Nembhard: 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.8 apg, 0.7 spg – 43.2% FG @ Creighton
Nolan Hickman: 7.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 spg – 35.4% 3FG
Dusty Stromer: Consensus Top 100 recruit
Anton Watson: 11.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.7 bpg
Graham Ike: 19.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.7 spg – 51.0% FG @ Wyoming in 2021-22
Experienced Reserves
| F Ben Gregg – 6’10”, 230 – Junior |
| W Steele Venters – 6’7″, 195 – Junior (injured) |
| W Colby Brooks – 6’7″, 215 – Junior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Ben Gregg: 5.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.7 bpg – 37.7% 3FG
Colby Brooks: 2.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 spg – 72.7% FG in eight games played
Freshmen
| F Braden Huff – 6’10”, 242 – Redshirt Freshman |
| F Jun Seok Yeo – 6’8″, 215 – Sophomore / South Korea |
| G Luka Krajnović – 6’5″, 185 – Freshman – Croatia |
| F Pavle Stošić – 6’9″, 215 – Freshman / Serbia |
How often did the citizens of ancient Rome stop and pause to wonder at all which surrounded them? Did they marvel at the grandeur of the architecture, drink in the fullness of its knowledge, and fully appreciate that their everyday life was, for many, an almost unimaginable luxury? Sometimes, it is important to reflect on what things were like in the before-times, so that we may better appreciate the present.
Remember when Gonzaga as an every-year presence at the NCAA Tournament was fun and novel? Remember when people began to say ‘but seriously, Gonzaga is really good’? Remember when the Bulldogs had been to the Big Dance so regularly that pundits began to say ‘yeah, but like, they don’t go to the Final Four’? Remember a time before Gonzaga had been a #1 seed three times in the past four tournaments, and appeared in the national title game twice in the past six tourneys which have been played?
We are living in the Age of Gonzaga, and the Empire of Spokane’s influence is recognized and respected in such far-flung kingdoms as Lawrence, Chapel Hill, and Lexington. The Imperator Marcus Fourteen-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year Mark Few has kept the Zags innovative, as well. And given the success he’s shown to everyone on the basketball map, is it any wonder that Few’s arm has grown long?
Gonzaga has featured stars from all over the country and, increasingly, globe on its roster the past two decades, and that trend continues to be as vibrant as ever. Few has made as many big signings out of the Transfer Portal as any coach, and this fall he welcomes another heralded group of experienced players who should instantly improve his squad. And with the landscape of college sports shifting yet again, the Zags are looking to sustain the elite position which they’ve earned, while bracing for the impact of all the forces constantly flowing around them.
“I expect him (Ike) to be one of the best bigs in the country.”
– Gary Parrish
Few’s ‘dux bellorum’ of the past four campaigns has gone, but that doesn’t mean that there is a hole in Gonzaga’s frontcourt. Two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year and thrice-honored All-American big man Drew Timme has moved on to the NBA, but Gonzaga moved swiftly to replace him. Graham Ike may be coming off of a season missed due to serious injury, but the former Wyoming star looks the part of Few’s next outstanding post player. Ike has shown just about everything demanded of a top frontcourt scorer, and Few is going to feature him as a star attraction. “I expect him to be one of the best bigs in the country,” CBS Sports writer Gary Parrish said of Ike, speaking to the Gonzaga Nation podcast this summer. “Look at what he did consistently against quality competition in the Mountain West Conference…people would have been talking about him as a preseason All-American last season.”
In his one full, healthy season as a Cowboy, Ike (pronounced ‘E-kay’), was a monster. He racked up 14 double-doubles,and scored 20 or more points on just as many occasions in his 33 games played. Ike ranked second in the Mountain West in both scoring and rebounding average, and both made and attempted the third-most free throws in the league. Wyoming knew it had a star in Ike, and so coach Jeff Linder hitched his wagon to Ike; in 2021-22, Ike saw the fourth-highest usage rate in the nation, per Bart Torvik.Ike is no simple dunker; he only threw down 11 jams during his breakout season. After injuring his foot prior to the start of last season, Ike ended up missing the whole year. A skilled scorer who’s grown his gane as his rehab has concluded, Ike utilizes a full range of post-up and mid-range footwork, fakes and shot types to drive his team’s offense from the paint. He actually attempted almost 60 more 2-point shots away from the rim as a sophomore as he tried within arm’s reach of the cup, shooting 51% from the floor overall. And despite not being the bounciest big, arm’s reach of the basket is closer to Ike than it is for most people – he owns a 7’5″ wingspan. Ike’s ability to command the post and earn multitudes of trips to the foul line should serve the Bulldogs well, and the junior-to-be is hungry to remind the country of what it missed last winter.
Anton Watson joins Ike as a highly productive veteran up front, but while Ike is a new face in Eastern Washington, Watson is a familiar friend. A Spokane native, Watson led Gonzaga Prep to a pair of state titles during his high school career, before pledging to the Bulldogs. For three years, Watson played a key support role, but last season became a full-time starter, finished third on the team in scoring, and earned WCC All-Tournament recognition. Watson also managed to lead the team in steals, finish second in blocks, post a better assist to turnover ratio than most point guards, and snag the fourth-most offensive boards in the conference. The versatile fifth-year forward ranks third in West Coast Conference history with a 65.3% career 2FG percentage, and hit 67% of his tries from inside the arc last season, with a team-best 39 dunks.
Like Ike, he lacks outstanding foot speed or lotto-pick explosion, but Watson is a smart, experienced player who understands and executes the Bulldogs’ gameplan completely, at both ends of the court. He’s adept at covering forwards in the paint, and can guard wings on the perimeter, providing Few with tremendous flexibility to mix and match situationally. “What gets lost,” Few has said, “is just the absolute calming influence that Anton Watson has on our team.” Watson makes good reads and passes in transition and all over the halfcourt. “He’s a unique athlete,” his former teammate, Rasir Bolton, told The Athletic of Watson last March. “Quick hands, nice with the ball, nice handle, moves his feet laterally well. It’s a combination of his physical attributes, his God-given ability, and he just goes out there and gets it done.” Postponing his NBA aspirations for one final run, Watson’s array of skills, strength and his always high-effort style should combine to produce his biggest season yet.
Few has lost some excellent veteran guards from last season’s rotation, but as Ike and Watson have laid the foundation up front, the Zags are looking set at the point as well. A former Top 50 national prospect and 36-game starter in his second year, Nolan Hickman is the younger of the two main playmakers. Hickman had offers from the likes of Kentucky and Arizona, but chose the Bulldogs and has blended in nicely with his more experienced counterparts the past two seasons. So far, Hickman hasn’t needed to be ‘the guy’, but now his moment may have arrived. With elite agility, balance, and the ability to change gears whenever he’d like, Hickman guides his teammates while handling the ball effortlessly. His 2.4:1 assist to turnover rate as a sophomore was outstanding, and Hickman is a talented outside threat who made 46 triples at a 35.4% rate last season. He’s selective with both his shots and passes inside the arc, displaying poise and the confidence that he can get a shot whenever he needs to; Hickman shot 52% around the rim, and made 45.2% of all his other 2FG’s last season, per Bart Torvik. Now, Few will ask Hickman to step up as a more impactful scorer, and the young lead guard’s game should bloom. Hickman saw just a 14.9% usage rate last winter, competing for touches with fellow talented youngster Hunter Sallis, who transferred to Wake Forest this spring. With his savvy in reading the pick-and-roll and deep shooting touch, Hickman may be embarking upon a significant breakout campaign.
Few also added a guard from the Portal who’s got plenty of experience as his team’s primary setup guy. Canadian-born Ryan Nembhard arrives from Creighton, where he was named Big East Rookie of the Year two seasons ago. The younger brother of Indiana Pacer Andrew Nembhard, who helped lead the Zags to within one win of a natty two years ago, Ryan Nembhard has ranked third in the Big East in assists each of the past two seasons. Nembhard is looking to continue running one of the most efficient offenses in the nation despite his new digs. Anybody with the 2.3:1 assist to turnover ratio which Nembhard posted last year and a 25% career assist rate will catch Few’s attention, and the Zags’ coach is chuffed to have another Nembhard to manage his offense. Nembhard splashed 53 triples at a 35.6% clip as a sophomore, and though not a score-first point man, the younger Nembhard developed into a reliable scorer as a Bluejay. Neither Nembhard or Hickman get to the foul line overmuch, but each will make a more concerted effort towards driving the ball this season.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 52.1% – Team FG Percentage (1st) |
| 69.3% – Team FT Percentage (279th) |
| 86.1 – Points Per Game (1st) |
| 7.5 – Made 3FG Per Game (171st) |
| 24.6 – Made 2FG Per Game (2nd) |
One of the new players who will be competing for prime minutes this year has been around the program for almost a year already. Jun Seok Yeo enrolled at Gonzaga and practiced with the team last year, and is finally eligible to suit up and play this fall. Few’s latest import from afar, Yeo attended high school in his native South Korea and has played there and with the Australian Centre of Excellence, with whom he competed at the NBA Academy Games in 2019. Yeo participated in the 2020 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp, and then in 2022, worked out for the NBA’s G-League prior to their season. In 2021, he was outstanding at the FIBA U-19 World Cup, winning the event’s scoring crown with an average of 25.6 points across the tournament. At every interval, Yeo has left scouts wanting to see more of his skills on a bigger stage, and now, Few is ready to show off his prized prospect. Yeo is big, strong, agile and athletic. He has dominated at times in his few widely-observed chances to play, and with a season spent marinating in Few’s pro-style offensive system, Yeo may be ready to erupt. His outside shot has been inconsistent in international competition, but his form and release look clean. Inside of the arc, Yeo has shown the potential to do it all. He’s a slick passer and creative off the bounce, and he’s got the strong frame and aggressive mindset to power through contact when finesse isn’t doing the job. He has the skill to play either traditional forward spot, and may slot in as a prototype modern 4-man going forward.
Two of Gonzaga’s newcomers arrive with reputations as marksmen, which is fitting. Mark Few’s Shootin’ Revue has produced one of the nation’s top 50 team three-point percentages each of the past four seasons, as the coach sought deep threats to surround Timme. Though the Zags have lost 175 made triples following the departures of Julian Strawther, Malachi Smith, and Bolton, the newcomers can pick up a fair bit of slack. Steele Venters and Dusty Stromer are a couple of long, rangy scorers who should provide plenty of fireworks from the land of trey. Venters, from Ellensburg, in central Washington, has been one of the best players in the Big Sky Conference each of the past two seasons, and arrives at Gonzaga on the heels of winning Player of the Year in his previous league. Venters has knocked down 176 triples at a 40.3% rate so far in his career, and has the quick release and length to get a good look whenever he’d like. “They need a shooter and that’s what I do best,” Venters told former Bulldogs star Dan Dickau this spring. “I think I can kill it from any position. I’ve proven that, a high efficiency from 3 and in the mid-range.” Strawther was a long scoring wing who functioned as Gonzaga’s top deep threat and shot-maker outside of the paint last season, and Venters should be a similarly productive option. Unfortunately, it’s likely that Venters will miss the season after suffering a knee injury.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – Purdue – November 20 |
| N – UConn – December 15 |
| N – Tennessee / Syracuse – November 21 |
| N – Southern Cal – December 2 |
| N – Maui Invitational 3rd game – November 22 |
Thus, Stromer’s importance has significantly increased. Stromer is this year’s top freshman recruit, and the smooth-operating youngster will challenge to earn his share of the shots immediately. While he’s known for the deep ball first and foremost, Stromer can also put it on the floor and create for his teammates. With his great overall feel and approach, Stromer projects as an excellent all-around scorer in the very near future. He’s clever with the ball in his hands, and sees the floor well. Stromer will attack the paint and finish at the rim, and will post up a favorable matchup, but he does his most efficient work from the outside. “We’re incredibly excited to have Dusty in the program,” Few remarked when Stromer signed. “He’s a terrific player. He’s an incredible competitor. All through this past summer he’s competed on the EYBL circuit with some nagging injuries, and he kept playing and competing. He’s going to be a really good player for us.” He will get the chance to show his stuff immediately; with Venters injured, Stromer will play heavy minutes and could emerge as Gonzaga’s top deep threat as a rookie.
Another young player hoping to get some run this year is Luka Krajnović, a big, playmaking guard from Croatia. He brings good experience from his time spent playing with a pro team there, and can score in close or from the outside. “Luka is a guard that can really help us,” Few said after Krajnović signed in Spokane. “He is versatile and has decent size. He also had good experiences playing against older guys back home in Croatia.” Without Venters, Krajnović will have the chance to play big minutes this year in support of Few’s more experienced guards. Colby Brooks may also – finally – be in line for some legitimate minutes. A junior now, Brooks is a multi-skilled wing with great physical strength who has contributed behind the scenes as a key scout team player. He’s seen the floor for just 23 total minutes in parts of eight career games played, though. This year, there will be reserve minutes available, and Brooks – who is talented enough to have logged big minutes for lesser programs – may emerge as a very important piece off the pine. He’s got the size to guard multiple positions, and Brooks has always had scoring ability.
Ike and Watson are going to receive a push for PT themselves, and Yeo isn’t the only youngster who will command minutes this year in the post. Ben Gregg has been biding his time and working hard as a reserve for four years now, and is hungrier than ever to become a prominent part of the rotation. The 6’10” Oregonian earned about 12 minutes on average last season after two years as a deep reserve. And in his small role, Gregg was terrific. It didn’t take Gregg a long time to develop because his skills were lacking; he’s been stuck behind heavier, longer or stronger players with elite talent his entire career. Now that he’s gotten strong and experienced enough to earn his share of the pack’s winnings, the Kennel has a new weapon. Gregg is a very good spot-up shooter, and last year made an excellent 73% of his buckets around the rim. His activity level on the glass has increased, and with it his minutes, and Gregg went and earned almost 40% of his 2FG’s via putbacks last year, per Hoop-Math. If he can continue the board work and continue to grow his offensive game, Gregg’s path to more minutes will emerge.
Coming off of a pair of redshirt seasons and expected to add yet more big, talented bodies to Few’s roster were Kaden Perry and Braden Huff. Perry began his career after committing to the Zags as a Top 50 prep recruit from Battle Ground, WA. The bouncy, aggressive forward is a highly mobile and active big; but he suffered a back injury in high school which cropped up again in his rookie season. After just eight games interspersed by stretches of pain which kept him off of the floor as a freshman, Perry opted for surgery on three different discs in his back. After rehabilitation and a great deal of work in an attempt to get back up to speed, Perry’s back has remained problematic, and unfortunately he had to make the decision to medically retire from basketball.
Huff is another in the parade of skilled bigs who can score both inside and out, and the former Illinois Mr. Basketball can play out on the wing a bit, too. He’s a smart passer with a great overall feeling on the offensive end. And Huff worked hard enough during his year off toearn some very high praise at the end of his redshirt season. None other than Drew Timme – who had to practice against the youngster, has ruefully called Huff the “most annoying redshirt I’ve ever played against.” Huff offers a different look up front than either Watson or Ike, and that contrast should see Huff earn minutes. The Bulldogs also added Serbian forward Pavle Stošić to the roster late in summer. Like Krajnović, Stošić has competed with overseas pro teams, and the skilled youngster competed in Spain last season. With his late arrival and plenty of depth up front, it’s possible that Stošić will redshirt to gain experience this winter.
After years of tremendous stability with a familiar rotation, Gonzaga has seen some transition this summer. While the Zags are very used to importing talented players that the home fans haven’t seen much of, this winter, the Kennel will see more adjustments than usual. And exactly who will become most relied upon – especially in a new-look backcourt – is a question which will only be answered by experience.
Few got a different experience himself this summer, as an assistant coach for Team USA in FIBA international competition. Even entering his 25th season as head coach, Few is leading by example for his players as they look to blend talent into another fantastic season. Change is inexorable, and the Zags know how to roll with the times and still put together victorious runs. “Everyone feeds off of each other really well. Everyone is super unselfish and we don’t care about individual stats or anything like that and the main goal is winning. I think we established that from day one,” Huff said after the Zags’ final exhibition tune-up before the new year.
At the height of its glory, Rome understood the importance of finding capable people and seeing them installed in position to put their best talents to use. So it has long been in Spokane. This latest group of Bulldogs – save Watson – may not be as recognizable as in the recent past, but they have the potential to emerge as yet another great squad by March. BYU may have departed the WCC, but Saint Mary’s is as strong as ever, and will contend with Gonzaga all year long. Few and his guys will be heard from when the lights grow brightest in March once again – just as they seemingly have been each year for the past two decades.
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