Gonzaga had a large morning on Friday, touchdown a dedication from probably the most impactful names in the switch portal as Creighton star Ryan Nembhard dedicated to the Bulldogs. Nembhard’s dedication got here in a while after Gonzaga additionally added Wyoming switch Graham Ike to its incoming magnificence, serving to reshape what the Zags’ roster will seem like coming into 2023-24.
Nembhard, a former five-star recruit, spent two seasons at Creighton the place he averaged 11.8 issues and four.6 assists according to sport for the Bluejays earlier than hitting the portal in the offseason. His dedication offers Gonzaga a moment Nembhard to construct round after his older brother, Andrew, performed underneath Mark Few from 2020-2022, two times incomes All-WCC honors earlier than occurring to be the No. 31 general pick out of the 2022 NBA draft.
“Of course my brother had been telling me for years what a great coach Mark [Few] was,” Nembhard instructed ESPN about his dedication. “And it is obtrusive Andrew was once smartly ready for the NBA via Coach Few and all of the group of workers at Gonzaga the 2 years he was once there; he began extra video games this 12 months as a rookie than another Pacers rookie has began in over two decades.
A Montverde Academy product, Nembhard was once a four-star prospect in the 2021 magnificence who signed with Creighton over gives from Ohio State, Seton Hall and Florida, amongst others. His older brother signed with the Gators out of highschool earlier than moving to Gonzaga after two seasons.
The more youthful Nembhard additionally joins Gonzaga after two seasons at Creighton the place he made his mark as probably the most impactful and underrated lead guards in the Big East. He made 64 begins in 64 appearances and two times completed top-10 in the league in help charge all through convention play. The Bluejays received 47 video games throughout his two seasons and complex to the Elite Eight for the primary time in the growth generation as Nembhard propelled them to a deep event run, averaging 14 issues and three.5 assists according to sport in 4 NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted via a 30-point explosion in Round 2 to take down No. 3 seed Baylor.
Nembhard is the 5th participant to devote to Gonzaga in the 2023 cycle and 0.33 to pick out this system out of the portal, becoming a member of Eastern Washington combo guard Steele Venters and the aforementioned Ike out of Wyoming. Venters was once the Player of the Year in the Big Sky final season and a two-time All-Big Sky performer, whilst Ike redshirted final season due to harm a 12 months after incomes All-Mountain West honors in 2021-22.
What this implies for Gonzaga
Gonzaga is retooling this offseason in a large manner and going through extra uncertainty than it has in years. Not best is all-everything large guy Drew Timme long gone, however so too is second-leading scorer Julian Strawther, third-leading scorer Anton Watson and fourth-leading scorer Rasir Bolton. Reserve large guy Efton Reid and combo guard Hunter Sallis, each former five-star potentialities, also are moving out.
With Nembhard in the combination, Gonzaga can construct round a large title and confirmed manufacturer whilst, most likely most significantly, stabilizing its guard place. Despite construction the No. 1 offense in adjusted potency rankings final season, Gonzaga struggled to persistently get high quality playmaking from its lead guard spot, with Timme — a 6-foot-10 heart — completing because the staff chief in assists according to sport.
Return of pace
In 2020 and 2021, Gonzaga completed height 10 in the rustic in adjusted pace and height 5 in reasonable ownership duration on offense, profitable 59 video games and shedding simply 5 occasions at the back of probably the most deadly — and fastest — assaults in the game. That slowed slightly final season because the Zags handled hot-and-cold play from the guard spot. Nembhard’s presence might permit Gonzaga to go back to its quick-paced shape as he offers them a top-end playmaking lead guard who can distribute, ranking and dictate tempo at an elite stage. Creighton has been a recurring slow-it-down staff, however Nembhard will have to be in a position to assimilate to Gonzaga’s machine superbly and play at a tempo he is relaxed in that may permit his staff — and him — to thrive in a brand new surroundings.
Continued luck in the portal
When Gonzaga nabbed the elder Nembhard out of the switch portal in 2020, it added an eventual two-time All-WCC performer who grew into a competent playmaker and outdoor shooter for a Gonzaga staff that in 2020-21 misplaced simply as soon as all season — in the nationwide championship sport. Ryan’s presence won’t lead to that a lot luck — Andrew’s luck was once in phase a confluence of luck for Gonzaga together with Timme’s emergence and the coming of five-star freshman Jalen Suggs — however it’s without a doubt at the similar scale of significance. It continues a success ratings out of the portal for Few and Co. that through the years contains Brandon Clarke and Nigel Williams-Goss, either one of whom earned All-WCC reputation after moving in from different colleges.