How many Gonzaga players have been picked in the first round of the NBA Draft?

Julian Strawther is the latest Zag to be drafted in the first round

Cole Forsman | Jun 29, 2023

How many Gonzaga players have been picked in the first round of the NBA Draft? /

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Gonzaga Bulldogs

Over the last decade, Gonzaga men's basketball is one of eight college programs to have at least a dozen players picked in the NBA Draft, including three players picked in the lottery in the last four drafts.

Of the 13 former Zags whom have been drafted in the first round, six have come into the league in the last five years. With the program's stature as one of the most consistent teams in college basketball, it's reasonable to expect more NBA-caliber players to come through the McCarthey Athletic Center's doors in the coming years.

Here is the full list of Gonzaga players who have been drafted in the first round:

Julian Strawther (29th overall by Denver in 2023)

The most recent Zag to be drafted in the first round, Strawther's NBA stock gradually rose in the weeks leading up to draft night before he was picked by the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets with the 29th overall pick.

Coming out of Liberty High School (Henderson, Nevada) as a four-star recruit and the No. 2 ranked player in the state, Strawther's 6-foot-7, 210-pound frame combined with his shooting ability made him an intriguing NBA prospect from the moment he arrived at Gonzaga. A quiet freshman campaign was followed by a promising sophomore campaign in which he started 31 of 32 games for a Bulldogs squad that advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.

Strawther took his game to another level in his final year as a Zag, earning All-WCC first-team honors while in contention for the Julius Erving award as one of the best small forwards in the country. Averaging 15.2 points per game, his shotmaking in big moments helped lead Gonzaga to its sixth Elite Eight appearance — including a deep go-ahead 3-pointer against UCLA in the Sweet 16 — and oftentimes was the focal point of the offense, as seen with a 40-point explosion against Portland in the regular season.

Chet Holmgren (2nd overall by OKC in 2022)

Labeled a "unicorn" by scouts everywhere, Holmgren's unique combination of ball handling and shotmaking at 7 feet tall made him one of the most highly anticipated freshmen to ever play college basketball. As a five-star and the clear No. 1 player in the 2021 class, Holmgren became the highest-rated recruit in Gonzaga history and was immediately in contention for being the first pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

In his lone season as a Zag, Holmgren earned All-American honors, was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year and WCC Newcomer of the Year as the second-option on offense to Drew Timme. Holmgren's 117 blocks tied Brandon Clarke for the most in a single season in program history, while his 3.7 rejections per game led the conference and were fourth-most in the nation.

In his first NCAA Tournament game, he showed the country just how much of a force he can be on both ends of the floor, finishing with 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists to lead No. 1 Gonzaga past No. 16 Georgia State.

Taken No. 2 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder last spring, Holmgren looks to make his NBA debut this fall after sitting out the 2022-23 season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot he suffered in a Pro-Am game.

Jalen Suggs (5th overall by Orlando in 2021)

Holmgren arguably isn't a Zag without his Minnehaha Academy teammate giving him the right nudge, and even more importantly, Gonzaga doesn't have another National Championship game appearance without its one-and-done five-star floor general leading one of the most dominant college basketball teams in recent memory.

Ranked fifth in ESPN's Top-100 list in the class of 2020, Suggs immediately delivered as the program's highest-ranked recruit at the time. Surrounded by four future NBA players, the All-American guided the Bulldogs to the first undefeated regular season in college basketball since 2015 en route to being named WCC Newcomer of the Year and a Naismith Trophy finalist. Beyond any statistic or award, though, he'll be remembered for his historic buzzer-beater against UCLA in the Final Four to send the Zags to the national title game.

Since being taken fourth overall and traded to the Orlando Magic in the 2021 NBA Draft, injuries have derailed Suggs throughout his first two seasons as a pro. In 101 career games, he's averaging 10.8 points and 3.6 assists on 38.7% shooting from the field. While he appears to be a part of Orlando's future plans, his role with the team remains uncertain.

Corey Kispert (15th overall by Washington in 2021)

Despite being knocked as one of the older prospects in the 2021 draft class, there was no denying Kispert's marksmanship from behind the arc and leadership was worthy of a first-round draft selection.

The 6-foot-7 wing from 1A powerhouse Kings High School in Edmonds, Washington, finished his four-year Gonzaga career with a 126-11 record, tied for the third-most wins in program history, and sits fourth all-time in 3-pointers made with 270. Kispert was named conference player of the year and an All-American as a senior in 2020-21, averaging 18.6 points per game while shooting 52.9% from the floor, 44% from deep and 87.8% from the free-throw line.

That efficiency has started to translate over to the NBA for Kispert, who was just two field goals and five free throws short of reaching the coveted 50/40/90 shooting clips in 2022-23. Unfortunately for Kispert, the Wizards haven't been competitive and probably won't be heading into his third season, but he's established himself as an elite shooter with room to grow his offensive game.

Rui Hachimura (9th overall by Washington in 2019)

After bursting onto the college basketball scene as a junior, Hachimura became the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Wizards picked the 6-foot-8 athletic wing as the ninth overall pick in 2019.

But following a strong rookie campaign, Hachimura's relationship with the Wizards over the ensuing three seasons turned on its head. Amid frustration over his role and contract situation, the 25-year-old was dealt at the 2022-23 trade deadline to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team clearly in need of youth, size and athleticism on the wing.

Hachimura was pivotal in the Lakers' run to the Western Conference finals from the beginning, scoring a franchise-record 29 points off the bench in LA's Game 1 win over the Grizzlies in the first round. His play time and role fluctuated with the purple and gold, as he went on to average 12.2 points while shooting 55.7% from the field and 48.7% from deep on 2.4 attempts per game in the playoffs.

Hachimura's playoff run was enough to earn the $7.7 million qualifying offer from the Lakers, who can now match any offer sheet Hachimura receives as a restricted free agent.

Brandon Clarke (21st overall by OKC, traded to Memphis in 2019)

The high-flying 6-foot-8 forward from Phoenix, Arizona, is still one of the most athletically-gifted players to dawn a Gonzaga uniform. Combined with his efficiency from the field and shot-blocking prowess, Clarke could've arguably gone higher in the 2019 draft before going to Memphis at 21st overall.

Clarke's NBA career — while troubled with injuries — has been that of a serviceable role player, averaging 10.7 points per game in 21.3 minutes off the bench through four seasons. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2019-20 after shooting 61.8% from the field, fifth best in the NBA, and scoring a career-best 12.1 points per game.

The Grizzlies inked the 26-year-old to a four-year, $52 million contract prior to the 2022-23 season.

Zach Collins (10th overall by Sacramento, traded to Portland in 2017)

It's not every year a player that came off the bench in college is taken with a lottery pick in the NBA draft, but that was the case when the Sacramento Kings picked, and subsequently traded, the 7-foot Collins with the 10th overall pick in 2017.

That's not to discredit Collins' achievements at Gonzaga — the former five-star recruit was the highest-ranked recruit in program history, and he came to play when it mattered most in the Zags' 2017 run to the national title game. He proved productive in his limited role off the bench, averaging 10.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in just 17.2 minutes per game.

Injuries have plagued Collins throughout his NBA career, but that hasn't stopped him from earning his money — he signed a three-year, $22 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs in the 2021 offseason. Through five seasons, Collins has averaged 7.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and .7 blocks per game.

Domantas Sabonis (11th overall in 2016 by Orlando, traded to OKC in 2016)

The son of an NBA Hall-of-Famer with professional experience overseas and a productive season in college, Domantas Sabonis was the top center on draft boards in 2016 following a breakout season at Gonzaga. Now a three-time All-Star and All-NBA caliber player, the 6-foot-10 Lithuanian has evolved into a crafty playmaker that can dominate the glass on both ends of the floor.

Sabonis spent one season in OKC before being traded to Indiana in the 2017 offseason as a part of the Paul George blockbuster trade. In four full seasons as a Pacer, Sabonis averaged a double-double while shooting 54.4% from the field and earned two all-star nods.

Sabonis was once again on the move in 2021 when the Pacers dealt him to the Sacramento Kings, where the 27-year-old took another leap in helping the franchise earn its first playoff berth in 16 years as an All-NBA third team member.

As a sophomore in 2015-16 at Gonzaga, Sabonis averaged 17.6, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 61.1% from the floor. He led Gonzaga to the Sweet 16 as a No. 11 seed and became the 41st player in program history to top 1,000 career points, doing so in just two seasons.

Kelly Olynyk (13th overall by Dallas, traded to Boston in 2013)

Olynyk's ascension from middling role player to conference player of the year on the No. 1 team in the country boosted his draft stock ahead of being taken 13th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.

After two lackluster years to start his Gonzaga career, the 7-foot Canadian redshirted his junior year in the 2011-12 season to reinvent himself and his game. Safe to say it worked out — he went from 5.8 points to 17.8 points per game, led the WCC in field goal percentage and powered Gonzaga to its first No. 1 ranking in program history.

Through 11 seasons with five NBA teams, Olynyk has proved to be a quality role player that fits the modern NBA as a stretch center. He was a full-time starter for the first time in his career last season with the Utah Jazz, where he averaged 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Olynyk had his No. 13 jersey honored and hung in the McCarthey Athletic Center rafters last season.

Austin Daye (15th overall by Detroit in 2009)

At 6-foot-11, Daye was an extremely versatile small forward that could handle the ball in transition and beat defenders off the dribble to get to his spots. Though he struggled to find his place in the NBA, he carved out quite the career for himself overseas.

Daye played six seasons with five NBA teams, his last being with the Atlanta Hawks in the 2014-15 season. His most productive season was in 2010-11 when he averaged 7.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game.

Following the NBA, Daye's basketball career took him overseas to the Eurocup and LBA leagues, where he just completed his eighth season in 2022-23 with Pesaro (LBA). He burst onto the scene scoring 21.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 2015-16.

Daye, alongside NBA talents Jeremy Pargo and Robert Sacre, took Gonzaga to the Sweet 16 in the 2008-09 season in which Daye was third on the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game.

Adam Morrison (3rd overall by Charlotte in 2006)

Morrison never lived up to the immense expectations that come with being the third overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, though his Gonzaga career was as decorated and memorable as they come.

Morrison became the first Bulldog since Frank Burgess in 1961 to lead the nation in scoring at 28.1 points per game in 2005-06. He shared the Oscar Robertson Trophy with Duke’s J.J. Redick, was named the CBS Chevrolet Player of the Year and was a close runner-up to Redick in the Associated Press, Naismith Award and John R. Wooden Award balloting for Player of the Year. He was a unanimous All-America selection on the AP first team.

Morrison's NBA career lasted five seasons, with his final stint ending with a championship as a member of the 2009-10 Lakers.

Morrison became the third player in Gonzaga basketball history to have his jersey honored by the program, recognizing him as one of the greatest players to dawn a Zags uniform.

Dan Dickau (28th overall by Sacramento, traded to Atlanta in 2002)

Dickau bounced around the league after being taken and traded with the 28th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, as the Portland native played for six teams in his six-year career.

After transferring from Washington with two years of eligibility, Dickau was the first All-American in Gonzaga basketball history in 2002 when he led the Zags to a school-record 29 victories and a No. 6 national ranking averaging 21.0 points and 4.7 assists in being named the WCC player of the year.

Dickau's time in the pros peaked after he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in the 2004-05 season, as he averaged a career-best 13.2 points and 5.2 assists per game in 46 starts.

Dickau had his No. 21 jersey hung in the McCarthey Athletic Center rafters last season. His 117 3-pointers made in the 2001-02 season are still the most in program history. He's also top-10 in career free-throw percentage.

John Stockton (16th overall in 1984 by Utah)

Arguably the GOAT of Gonzaga basketball and one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, the Spokane native was the first Zag to be drafted in the first round when Utah took the 6-foot-1 guard out of the little Jesuit school in 1984.

Stockton went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career with the Jazz as a 10-time all-star and 11-time All-NBA honoree who holds the record for most assists and steals in a single career. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the 1992 United States Olympic basketball team. In 2021, he was honored once again as one of the game's greatest players by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

At Gonzaga, Stockton was named the West Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1984 when he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 3.9 steals per game. His 262 career steals is by far the most in program history, while he's fifth in assists (554) and 26th in scoring all-time with 1,340 points.

Published Jun 29, 2023

COLE FORSMAN

Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.