Gonzaga Basketball: Chet is coming to Gonzaga as Jalen leaves for the NBA
Teresa Powe
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Chet Holmgren, the nation’s number one prospect, is heading to Gonzaga! ZagsNation can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the Bulldogs have another chance to go all the way.
If you were like me, you were holding your breath. The ESPN anchor asks question after question, and I just wanted Chet Holmgren to open his hoodie. Hoping it had the same tee-shirt underneath as last year when Jalen Suggs, the nation’s number five prospect, revealed a Gonzaga Bulldogs shirt…YES, it’s Gonzaga! Chet Holmgren is coming to Gonzaga!
Last year, Jalen Suggs, ranked number six, was the highest-rated recruit ever to wear a Gonzaga jersey. Today it’s the number one recruit, Chet Holmgren. Hailing from the same school as Suggs, Holmgren can bring a whole other level of greatness to an already great basketball program.
Standing 7-0, Holmgren is a rim-protecting phenom. Nothing gets past him. With Drew Timme, this year’s Karl Malone award winner as the best college power forward returns. I can’t see how any team can stop Gonzaga. The type of rim protection Holmgren brings is what’s been missing.
It was the only concern I had with last years’ team. Drew Timme was the best at getting inside and scoring. He led the nation in scoring, but it’s just as important to stop the other team from getting inside to score. If you watched the championship game, you might have thought the same.
What Chet Holmgren brings to the table
Holmgren averaged 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 4.7 blocks. Gonzaga now has a player on the team that blocks shots. His high school won four straight state championships. In this year’s title game, Holmgren scored 18 points, with 13 rebounds and seven assists in an 80-29 victory.
The 80-29 score sounds a lot like a Gonzaga game. This young man averaged 13 rebounds a game in his senior year. Chet is also a threat from the outside. That is great news now that Corey Kispert and Joel Ayayi are gone.
Under Coach Few, he can only get better. In fact, one of the reasons Chet chose Gonzaga was its head coach. He had this to say about Coach Few:
He’s a super honest stand-up guy. He’s a fan of the game, and I hear he is a good fisherman, too. He continues to learn about the game and loves what he is doing.”
Goodbye Jalen Suggs
As the Bulldogs and fans celebrate the arrival of their two new five-star players, the same day Holmgren commits, Suggs declares for the NBA Draft.
After a short statement on his feelings about and commitment to stand up for racial justice, Jalen Suggs declared for the 2021 NBA Draft this summer. I knew it was coming, but I was caught with mixed emotions. Watching this young man during the past season was mesmerizing. His confidence and maturity are rare to find in someone so young. We will miss him, that’s for sure.
Let’s take a look at who’s playing for Gonzaga this coming season.
How the 2021-22 Bulldogs look
Hunter Sallis is a 6-5″ point guard who can more than pick up the slack from Suggs’ departure. He is ranked 13th overall and is the number three point guard in the class. Gonzaga is lucky to get him.
With Holmgren and five-star recruit Sallis joining Andrew Nembhard, Anton Watson, and maybe Timme, next season’s Gonzaga starting squad will be just as, or maybe more powerful than last season. Don’t forget about the strong bench with Dominick Harris, Ben Gregg, and Julian Strawther.
Maybe next season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs go 32-0. I can’t wait to see it!
Related Story: Where do the Zags go from here?
How do you feel about the Gonzaga Bulldogs 2021-22 team? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.