Will Gonzaga's Graham Ike be one of the country's best centers in 2023-24?

Wyoming transfer returns to the court in a big way after missing all of last season

The addition of Wyoming transfer Graham Ike went somewhat under the radar, as the 6-foot-9 center committed to the Gonzaga Bulldogs the same day as Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard. 

That doesn't underscore Ike's importance to Mark Few's squad heading into the 2023-24 season, the first in a while without former All-American Drew Timme as the team's identity. And while no one is expecting the redshirt junior to come in and top or even match Timme's production or impact right away, Ike has the tools to be a true difference-maker at Gonzaga.

"I expect him to be one of the best bigs in the country," said CBS Sports college basketball analyst Gary Parrish on the Gonzaga Nation podcast. 

Before a right foot injury derailed his 2022-23 campaign, Ike was named the preseason Mountain West Player of the Year last fall. As a sophomore, he led the Cowboys to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven seasons with 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, a stat line only two other players in the country produced that season.

"If he did that for an NCAA Tournament team in the Big 12, as opposed to an NCAA Tournament team in the Mountain West Conference, people would've been talking about him as a preseason All-American last season," Parrish said.

Ike indeed wasn't a preseason All-American, but he was touted as an early contender for the Naismith Trophy before a foot injury suffered in the preseason prevented him from stepping on the floor. What was originally deemed a "wear and tear" type of injury became a difficult rehab process for Ike, who eventually took a medical redshirt.

After months of rehab, Ike reportedly began participating in drills and some 5-on-5 work in late June. Should he be 100% healthy by November, he'll be a main staple in Gonzaga's offense from the get-go.

Because like Timme, Ike possesses exceptional footwork and craftiness that makes him such a dominant low post scorer. He can scrap for position on the low block or back his defender down 15 feet from the basket if he has to, making the left-hander a versatile threat to score from anywhere on the court. He won't be a threat to stretch the floor (27.3% from 3 in 2021-22), but he does have a soft touch on his turnaround fadeaway in the post. 

"He's a difference maker," said Dan Dickau, who was on the CBS Sports' broadcast call for some of Wyoming's games in the 2021-22 season. "He's 6-9 but his wingspan is longer than that. He's not a high-flying athlete but he's better than you think. He doesn't shy away from contact, he can score on the low block. I think he's a really good player."

Ike faced constant double-teams from opponents as the focal point of Wyoming's offense. Gonzaga has a track record of developing bigs who are willing and capable passers out of the post, and with a talented cast around him, Ike could be next. With Steele Venters, Nolan Hickman and Nembhard on the wing with Watson down low, he'll have plenty of opportunities to take advantage of double-teams.

Defensively, Ike wasn't a shot-blocking rim protector at Wyoming (0.3 per game over two seasons), but he won't be tasked with guarding the opposing team's best big anyway, a job usually dealt to Watson. Still, that doesn't prevent Ike from having a positive impact on the defensive end of the floor.

"I think he's really good in pick-and-roll situations," Dickau said. "As far as manipulating angles of a screen to force a trap so that he gets a roll or pop."

Gonzaga will likely be smart with Ike's usage after he missed all of last season. Health will be key to Ike's prowess as a low-post scorer, but if he can stay on the floor, he could be next on a long list of talented bigs that have come through the program's doors.