Gonzaga basketball lands top transfer Andrew Nembhard

Ed Stein   |  

Jun 23, 2020

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Tuesday, head coach Mark Few ensured his team’s future at the point guard position by adding Florida transfer Andrew Nembhard to the Gonzaga basketball program.

The rich get richer. Tuesday, Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few pulled off another coup by bringing in transfer point guard Andrew Nembhard formerly of the Florida Gators. This addition is a brilliant move by the Zags head coach for several reasons. The first of which is this young man has skills.

Nembhard had two good years with the Gators. With him leading head coach Mike White‘s squad from the point, Florida went a combined 39-28 overall, including 20-16 in the Southeastern Conference. That includes 19-12, 11-7 last year.

UF was picking up momentum in the final five weeks of the 2019-20 regular season. They finished 7-4 down the stretch. Two of those losses were to sixth-ranked Kentucky. The first was a 65-59 defeat in Lexington. The second occurred on the final day of the season, Florida had an 18-point lead at home, with under 12 minutes to go before losing 71-70.

For his part, Nembhard developed nicely during his time with Florida. As a freshman in 2018-19, the Toronto, Ontario, Canada native averaged 8.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game. His performance led to an All-SEC Freshman selection. Nembhard improved 11.2, 5.6, 3.0, and led the SEC with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio, his sophomore season.

Building for the future

As mentioned earlier, bringing Nembhard to Spokane is a magnificent chess move by Few. Aside from the 20-year-old’s high-end talent, his transfer assures the Bulldogs stability at the point guard spot for the next few years.

This season, five-star freshman Jalen Suggs, one of the top recruits in the country, is expected to run the point for a very talented Gonzaga team. He’s likely one the “one-and-done” plan. Suggs won’t be with the program after May as he prepares for the NBA Draft.

As a transfer player, by rule, Nembhard is required to sit out a year as a redshirt. He can pick up in 2021-22, where Suggs leaves off. In the event Suggs backs out of his commitment to play professional basketball overseas, Nembhard could petition the NCAA for a waiver to play immediately.

What do you think about Nembhard joining the Gonzaga basketball program? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.