Richard Fox on how Gonzaga’s player development is ‘less transactional and more relationship-oriented’

'You can throw all the money in the world out there, at the end of the day it’s about relationships,' Fox said on Gonzaga Nation.

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Mark Few and his coaching staff have an extensive track record of preparing their players to succeed at the collegiate and professional levels.

Gonzaga is one of just nine schools to have at least 10 active players in the NBA, five of whom are among the league’s 150 highest-earning players by salary. Eight former Bulldogs have been drafted since 2019, including six in the first round. The two players taken in the second round in that span — Andrew Nembhard and Filip Petrusev — have thrived in their respected career paths; Nembhard was given the largest second-round contract in NBA history, while Petrusev was named the MVP of the ABA League at 21 years old.

Not only are Zags making it to the next level, but they’re also contributing to winning basketball with their respective teams. The 2024 NBA Playoffs and Play-In Tournament feature six former Gonzaga players who played at least 50 games this season. Chet Holmgren and Domantas Sabonis were two of just six total NBA players who played and started in all 82 games.

At the college level, roster continuity has been a key to Gonzaga’s success. Recruiting players who see the bigger picture and the development path the coaches have in store for them over the course of their careers has often separated the Bulldogs from other programs. Aside from a few one-and-dones, some of the most prominent figures of the program — Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, Domantas Sabonis, Corey Kispert — all spent multiple seasons working on their games before blossoming into first-round picks.

ROOT Sports commentator Richard Fox shared his thoughts on Gonzaga’s unique player development and recruitment process on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

Watch Richard Fox's full interview on Gonzaga Nation's YouTube channel.

Produced by Thomas Gallagher.