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Gonzaga Basketball: Przemek Karnowski “ahead of schedule” in return from surgery

By Carmine Carcieri

Jan 30, 2016; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (blue) walks off the court after a game against the San Francisco Dons at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs won 86-48. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2016; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (blue) walks off the court after a game against the San Francisco Dons at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs won 86-48. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Gonzaga basketball needs Przemek Karnowski in uniform to start the season.

Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis are history for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Related Story: Unleash Mark Few's Bulldogs

The dynamic front court duo was excellent for two years, but have moved onto bigger and better things. Wiltjer signed a three year deal with the Houston Rockets and Sabonis was drafted by the Orlando Magic before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With the Wiltjer and Sabonis days long gone, the new face of the Gonzaga front court is now senior Przemek Karnowski. The 7’1″ native of Poland received a medical hardship waiver following a significant back injury that forced him to miss all but six games last season. The center underwent surgery for the injury and was on the sideline cheering his teammates as they reached the Elite Eight (before losing to Syracuse) in 2015-16.

The Bulldogs are projected to be a top-15 team this season, as their roster may consist of more talent than Mark Few has had in recent memory. But if they are going to achieve the high expectations (possibly making their first Final Four in school history), Gonzaga will need Karnowski to be healthy and effective before November rolls around.

The good news: The big man is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery process.

"Gonzaga center Przemek Karnowski is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from back surgery and he’s optimistic he’ll be ready when the Zags open practice in October.“I’m slowly getting back into it, getting in shape, doing lots of lifting, basic rehab,” he said. “I’m really happy with where I’m at and I hope to keep progressing. The doctors are telling me everything is going in the right direction.”After spending six weeks in his native Poland, Karnowski had a late July appointment with the Spokane doctor who operated on his back Dec. 31.“The doctor cleared me,” Karnowski said. “I was obviously happy, big smile. It’s been such a long journey, hearing those words was a great feeling.”"

This is obviously excellent news for the Bulldogs. It’s a must for Karnowski to be ready for the start of the season. He can knock off some early rust during practice time in October and can get used to the pace of the game again during non-conference play.

It’s legitimate to ask how effective Karnowski can be one year following back surgery, however, there would be greater concern if there weren’t tell-tale signs that he would be ready for the opening game in November.

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So why is it necessary for Karnowski to be on the court?

First, he provides a lift on both ends of the floor. While he isn’t fast and doesn’t have the highest level of conditioning, he is a massive load to deal with around the rim on the offensive end and is the anchor of the team’s defense.

Karnowski rebounds the ball, can make plays in the post with his hook shots, and finishes baskets off offensive rebounds. Because of his excellent rim protector, he allows the guards room to take risks to try to force turnovers which can result in points on the other end.

In 2014-15 (his last healthy season), Karnowski averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game, while shooting an efficient 62 percent from the field.

Secondly, Gonzaga has inexperienced backups. The Bulldogs do have some depth and size with 7’1″ center Ryan Edwards, 6’8 freshman Rui Hachimura, Missouri transfer Johnathan Williams and freshman seven-footer Zach Collins, but a majority of these talents haven’t played enough quality minutes at the college level.

Edwards played 8.7 minutes per game last year. Hachimura and Collins are freshman. Williams is the exception, as he played a key role for Missouri and contributed hefty minutes in the SEC, although, he hasn’t participated in a game in a year.

That’s why it’s important for Karnowski to be ready to play. Pairing the center with Williams will create a devastating front court that will eventually bring Collins, Hachimura, and Edwards off the bench.

Next: LSU off-season questions

We expect the Polish big man to be ready come November, but Zags fans should cross their fingers just in case.