Let’s hope that Julian Strawther continues on this path. As I watch him play, I know that Gonzaga can repeat last season’s undefeated regular season. Only this time, they end up with that Championship trophy.
Zags Wednesday: Spotlight on Julian Strawther
You might remember him as the backup for Coach Few’s starting guards last season. But that’s not who he is today. Today, Julian Strawther is one of the three starting guards for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Julian Strawther would come in for brief intervals last season. Jalen Suggs would get into early foul trouble. Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert, or Andrew Nembhard needed a break. Maybe the Zags would be up by 20 or 30 points, and the subs would end the game. Either way, Strawther was willing, prepared, and ready to go.
Where he comes from
Julian Strawther is from Las Vegas, Nevada. He attended Liberty High School in the city of Henderson. In his senior year, Julian averaged 31.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. He ended his high school career as Liberty High School’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Now, with Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, and Joel Ayayi in the NBA, Gonzaga needs players like him more than ever.
Strawther’s Freshman 2020-21 season
Last season Julian Strawther played in 25 games. He averaged 4.5 points a game. Whenever Julian was on the court, I remember thinking that he would be an excellent replacement for Suggs when he went to the NBA. Strawther also shot 51.7% from the field and 32.1% from three. He had a total of 30 rebounds, ten of them offensive. There were glimpses of the powerhouse he would be, and so far this season…
So far this season
In just three games this season, Julian Strawther is already making himself known. No more waiting in the wings. Strawther has reached his career-high and passed it. Against Dixie State, Julian got his career-high 17 points, and against Alcorn State, he passed it, contributing 18 points to the Zags’ 84-57 blowout. Julian averages 13.3 points per game, 56% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc. With Drew Timme, Chet Holmgren, and the rest of his teammates, Strawther is ready for another great ride this season.
Julian Strawther scored 18 points for top-ranked Gonzaga in a dominating 84-57 win over Alcorn State on Monday night, extending the nation’s longest home-winning streak to 54 games.https://t.co/tUUOinzvHy
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) November 16, 2021
Julian is excited about this season but takes it one game at a time. “Being able to attack every game is a big point of emphasis for us. Right now, our focus is on Bellarmine. We’ll focus on next week when it comes.”
Coach Few has a “Terrifying Team” on his hands. But, just like Julian, they are ready to go.
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