Gonzaga Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Bulldogs

Will the player turnover Gonzaga experience doom the Bulldogs? Or will Mark Few find a way to capitalize on his talent and have another remarkable season?

Six months removed from Gonzaga’s historic NCAA Tournament run, the Zags are preparing for the 2017-2018 season with a very different roster. Gone are the days of Przemek Karnowski being the mountain in the paint and Nigel Williams-Goss is no longer able to put the team on his back at the end of close games. Instead, the Bulldogs will look to new leaders and young talent to reload for another year. Let’s take a look at the Zags’ starters, reserves, schedule, and season expectations.

Projected Starting Five

Guard: Josh Perkins (Redshirt Junior)

It will be exciting to see what Josh Perkins can do as the primary ball handler for the Zags. Last season as the team’s second point, Perkins recorded 3.1 assists and 8.1 points per game. During his redshirt freshman year, however, Perkins was able to put up 10.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals without turning the ball over at a higher rate. With increased minutes at the point, a more experienced Perkins should establish himself as a leader for this relatively young Gonzaga team.

Guard: Silas Melson (Senior)

With three seasons under his belt as Gonzaga’s first guard off the bench, Silas Melson is more than ready to move into the starting five. Melson is an incredibly pesky perimeter defender and one of the early contenders for WCC Defensive Player of the Year.  If Melson can improve on his 39% shooting from deep and continue to finish near the rim at a high rate, he will be one of Gonzaga’s most valuable players.

Guard: Zach Norvell (Redshirt Freshman)

The will be some debate as the season approaches over who should start between Zach Norvell and Rui Hachimura. Based on Head Coach Mark Few’s history of using three-guard lineups, Norvell appears to be the favorite to earn this spot. A redshirt freshman, Norvell was a Top 100 recruit according to ESPN and is expected to provide Gonzaga with a quality three-point threat. His length will also allow him to defend traditional small forwards while being able to score over smaller guards.

Forward: Johnathan Williams (Redshirt Senior)

After sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, Gonzaga forward Johnathan Williams became one of the best two-way players in the WCC. Williams averaged 10.2 points and 6.4 rebounds while adding 0.7 steals and 0.9 blocks. Not only was Williams a great player, he was also the emotional spark when Gonzaga was experiencing a bad run. With Nigel Williams-Goss and Przemek Karnowski gone, Williams will need to join Josh Perkins as a more vocal leader on the court.

Forward: Killian Tillie (Sophomore)

Despite missing multiple games due to injury, Gonzaga forward Killian Tillie showed promise as a solid big man with the ability to stretch the floor. While only playing 12 minutes per game, Tillie shot an efficient .522 from two-point range and .478 from deep. With Zach Collins and Przemek Karnowski unavailable to hold down the interior, Tillie will be required to play under the basket more often, but he can still be expected to pop out for the occasional three-pointer.