Updated Gonzaga men's basketball depth chart for 2023-24

With the addition of Pavle Stosic, here's what Mark Few's rotation could look like

After the addition of Serbian forward Pavle Stosic, the Gonzaga men's basketball team is even deeper at the wing/forward position.

The 19-year-old is the sixth player new to the program in 2023, as coach Mark Few has spent all offseason revamping the squad through the transfer portal and international recruiting trail. And with one more open scholarship available, there's always potential for another new face to join the ranks.

Determining an eight- or nine-man rotation with this core isn't easy. The blend of new talent also presents a lack of experience and continuity with last season's returners. Few has embraced tinkering with lineups and starters in parts of early November in previous seasons and this could be the case for the start of the 2023-24 season.

The ensuing weeks of practice will be instrumental, especially when it comes to determining the bench depth. There's still a ways to go before the season tips off, but here's a look at who will likely crack the final rotation for the 2023-24 Gonzaga Bulldogs:

BACKCOURT - RYAN NEMBHARD, NOLAN HICKMAN

Proven backcourt depth, especially at the point guard position, wasn't in Gonzaga's favor last season after Andrew Nembhard left for the NBA. Now his younger brother, Ryan, will likely take the reins as the team's primary floor general instead of Nolan Hickman, who had his ups and downs in that role as a full-time starter. With him playing off the ball, the Zags will likely benefit from the luxury of having two capable playmakers in the starting lineup.

When it comes to the bench, though, there's a little less certainty. Depending on how Few uses some of his pieces, there could be a spot in the rotation for Croatian guard Luka Krajnovic, though it wouldn't be a surprise to see Few hold off on playing the 6-foot-5 freshman in 2023-24.

WING/FORWARDS - STEELE VENTERS, DUSTY STROMER, JUN SEOK YEO

There's a lot of versatility and size at the wing/forward position with this trio. Venters and Stromer could play an off-ball guard position with their respective skill sets, though their size puts them in a better position to defend taller wings on the perimeter. Regardless, look for all three newcomers to see plenty of action in their first season wearing a Bulldogs' uniform.

Venters, the reigning Big Sky Player of the Year at Eastern Washington who brings valuable experience with 67 career starts, will likely start at the wing to provide floor spacing. The 6-foot-7 Ellensburg, Washington, native has shot 40.3% from deep for his career and ranked in the 89th percentile of all players on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season. Expect him to play the Julian Strawther role for Gonzaga.

That leaves an opportunity for Stromer and Yeo to contribute off the bench. Stromer, a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, flashed as a playmaker in his senior season at Notre Dame High School, though at 6-foot-6 he's a better fit on the perimeter where he can use his length to disrupt passing lanes and contest shots as opposed to keeping up with faster guards in space. 

Yeo can score from just about anywhere on the floor, and though his shooting splits with the South Korean national teams weren't spectacular, he'll likely benefit from having more talent around him at Gonzaga. And after a year of observing and practicing with the Zags, he'll already come in with some familiarity.

FRONTCOURT - GRAHAM IKE, ANTON WATSON, BEN GREGG, BRADEN HUFF

Similar to the backcourt, Gonzaga's starters in the frontcourt are likely set. Anton Watson, returning for a fifth year, will continue to set the tone defensively while being a reliable option on offense. Wyoming transfer Graham Ike was one of the best low-post scorers in the country before a foot injury derailed his 2022-23 season entirely, though the 6-foot-9, 240-pound redshirt junior is still slated to fill the void left by Drew Timme at the center spot.

Ben Gregg, who would've likely been in a position to start if it weren't for Ike, will still see a larger and more impactful role as a junior than he did last season. At 6-foot-10, he provides a spark on offense with his ability to space the floor, as he shot 35.3% from deep last season. He can exceed that attempt mark as the backup center in 2023-24 while setting the tone with his hustle plays on the defensive end.

As for Braden Huff, now in his second season with the program, it's time to see what the 6-foot-10 forward dubbed Mr. Basketball in Illinois has in his repertoire. Timme called Huff the "most annoying redshirt" he'd ever faced in practice, and with Gonzaga's track record of developing redshirt players, there's a chance Huff sees valuable minutes as a role player off the bench. 

RESERVES - LUKA KRAJNOVIC, PAVLE STOSIC, COLBY BROOKS, JOE FEW

When a team boasts depth at different positions like Gonzaga, not everyone is going to have a chance at meaningful playing time. Of the projected four reserves, though, Krajnovic could be the one that carves out a role in the 2023-24 season.

During the 2022-23 season with Bosco Zagreb in the Croatian Premier League, the 19-year-old averaged 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He also shot 58.4% of his shots from inside the arc, 35.4% from 3-point range and 72.2% at the free-throw line.

"Luka is a guard that can really help us," Few said. "He is versatile and has decent size. He also had good experiences playing against older guys back home in Croatia."

Pavle Stosic, a 6-foot-8 forward from Serbia, could potentially be a floor spacer on offense and someone who plays well in Few's defensive schemes as a weak-side help defender in the post. But as of now, already a few weeks into practice, he'll have to be brought up to speed as the newest Bulldog who could have an impactful role down the line.