With Drew Timme gone, here are 5 key storylines for 2023-24 Gonzaga men's basketball
It’s the dawn of a new era for Gonzaga men’s basketball.
As last year’s standouts pursue their careers professionally in the NBA and overseas, the next wave of talent comes through the Kennel's doors with the hopes of taking the program to places it’s never been before.
With only three rotational players returning to the fold, there will be plenty of new faces fans will become familiar with. Gonzaga brings back 30.5% of its scoring output from 2022-23, the second lowest among West Coast Conference teams, but the team doesn’t lack experience with seven upperclassmen who could receive minutes this season.
Here are the biggest storylines heading into the 2023-24 season:
What will the offense look like without Drew Timme?
Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford
The post-Timme era is here. One of the savviest big men in the game, Timme’s offensive repertoire also made him one of the hardest players to guard in college basketball en route to being the program’s all-time leading scorer. No Zag posted a higher usage percentage over the last three seasons (Timme’s career 27.2 usage percentage is the third highest in program history), and coach Few admitted that the team leaned on him harder than any player prior.
So, where does that offensive production come from now? There’s no one-for-one swap in the cards, but it’s a safe bet that Few can put the puzzle pieces together after spending all offseason crafting a well-rounded roster via the transfer portal.
Arguably Timme’s greatest asset, though, was his ability to come through in the game’s biggest moments down the stretch. When the rest of the offense stalled, he was the go-to guy to save the day.
What will the rotation look like?
Photo by James Snook, USA TODAY Sports
Narrowing down the depth of the 2023-24 roster into an eight-man rotation will be an interesting challenge for Few and the staff. With six upperclassmen expected to receive meaningful playing time, two incoming four-star recruits and a healthy Kaden Perry and Jun Seok Yeo eligible, there are not enough minutes to go around for everyone — it’s just a matter of who will step up and who will have to wait their turn.
It appears the most likely starting five would be Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Steele Venters, Anton Watson and Graham Ike — five upperclassmen who have played a combined 25 NCAA Tournament games in their respective careers. Few likes having experience on the floor when possible, especially in the backcourt.
The real predicament is figuring out the bench situation. Ben Gregg provided a spark as a reserve last season and he'll likely fill a similar role this season. Perry, who missed the 2022-23 season due to injury and has logged eight career games going into his third year, could provide needed size and athleticism at 6-foot-9. And don’t forget four-star small forward Dusty Stromer and Kansas transfer Marcus Adams Jr., who committed to Gonzaga last week.
What will we see from Jun Seok Yeo?
Photo by James Snook, USA TODAY Sports
The 6-foot-8 forward from Seoul, South Korea was a midseason addition to last year’s squad and will be eligible to suit up for his first game as a Bulldog in 2023-24. His production on the international stage in FIBA events shows promise for a bright career ahead, but just how much will he get to show off his versatile skillset as a freshman?
In a stacked 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup that featured a handful of future NBA players, Yeo became the first Korean to take home the event’s scoring title after averaging 25.6 points per game over seven outings. He also grabbed 10.6 rebounds and shot 44.4% from the field on high volume, including 29.1% from deep, without much help surrounding him. The Korean team finished 15th out of 16th with a 1-6 record.
Despite the lack of winning, Yeo competed against some of the best competitors in the world for his age. Against an overmatched France squad in the tournament’s first game, he scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, before dropping 21 points against 2021 No. 3 pick and former Bulldog Chet Holmgren.
It’s no debate the competition at the international level is vastly different than in the states, and given that’s the only stage Yeo has competed on, his transition to the college game should be fascinating to follow.
How dominant will Graham Ike be?
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When healthy, Ike has been one of the most effective low-post scorers in the nation since stepping onto the scene in 2020 at Wyoming. He had a legitimate chance to be named the Mountain West’s Player of the Year if a lower leg injury didn’t force him to miss the entire 2022-23 season. Now a year later with a new program, Ike has a chance to be an extremely impactful newcomer to the West Coast Conference.
As a sophomore, the 6-foot-9, 255-pound Ike averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds while leading the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament in 2021-22. He shot 51% from the field and had 28 of the team’s 66 offensive rebound putbacks, according to hoop-math.com. His absence last season was felt greatly, as the Cowboys went 9-21 overall and 4-14 in MWC play.
Built like a bruiser with the footwork of a technician down low, Ike, who also missed significant time as a freshman recovering from a torn ACL, is poised to return to his old self now with the Zags — as long as he’s healthy. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Ike began participating in drills and five-on-five work in late June.
What is the 2024 recruiting class going to look like?
Zoom Diallo on his official visit to Gonzaga University.
Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford
It’s never too early to look beyond this season in the current college basketball landscape. A lot will change over the next high school hoops season, and just about anything is possible with the transfer portal, but the clock is ticking for some of the best recruits in the 2024 class to sign their National Letter of Intent.
Thus far for Gonzaga, which has no commitments from the 2024 class as of now, the program is in the mix for a handful of four- and five-star recruits.
Zoom Diallo, the No. 1 ranked point guard in the class who will play his senior season at Prolific Prep (Napa Valley, California), moved from his hometown Tacoma, Washington, yet has kept Gonzaga on his final list of schools since visiting Spokane twice during the 2022-23 season. Diallo revealed his top six college choices in January and is "nearing a decision," according to a report from 247Sports.
The No. 1 power forward in Asa Newell took his official visit to Gonzaga last week after he reportedly received an offer from the Bulldogs. The Montverde Academy product is expected to list his top five schools by August.
Gonzaga is also targeting small forward Chase McCarty (No. 54 on 247Sports), shooting guard Ishan Sharma, point guard Cameron Mercadel and shooting guard Jalen Lee.
