Gonzaga Basketball: Is the 2018-19 roster the best ever?

While most people consider Gonzaga basketball’s 2016-17 roster to be the best in Mark Few’s tenure, this upcoming season’s team could take that spot.

If you told me a year ago that Gonzaga basketball would ever have a better roster than they had as the NCAA Tournament runner-up, I would have called you crazy. However, Mark Few has once again managed to put together a roster that should once again challenge for a National Championship. This roster composition actually reminds me of the roster two years ago, with one key improvement: versatility down low.

Starting in the backcourt, Gonzaga looks a lot like they did two years ago. The addition of grad transfer Geno Crandall and the return of Josh Perkins allows Few to run two starting point guards. Not only does this relieve a lot of the pressure on Perkins as a primary distributer, but he and Crandall are both excellent shooters who should play off each other nicely.

Zach Norvell will now be free to play the wing position and could end up being one of the Zags go-to scorers. Off the bench, the Zags will have Joel Ayayi and possibly Greg Foster, both who have the size and ability to play any of the three guard spots. Even if Foster decides to take a redshirt season, knowing Crandall and Perkins only have one year left, Gonzaga will still have four interchangeable guards.

The Zags’ versatility will be even more evident in the front court, which will feel much different than it did two years ago. During the 2017 run, Gonzaga’s frontcourt was great, but Przemek Karnowski’s limited mobility make them susceptible to getting killed in the pick-and-roll whenever he was on the court. The only player with the same limitations as Karnowski is sophomore center Jacob Larsen, who will probably see limited minutes this season.

The Zags should have great versatility in the front court, with Killian Tillie, Brandon Clarke, Rui Hachimura, and Filip Petrusev. Tillie and Petrusev are both solid perimeter shooters who can also take the ball down low on smaller opponents. Clarke and Hachimura will not stretch the floor, but their athleticism and strength make them solid finishers at the rim and great defenders.

Where the versatility and depth really come into play with the Zags is when it comes to Jeremy Jones and Corey Kispert. Kispert, who was injured last season and never quite got back on track, can come off the bench to play either the wing or forward position, while Jeremy Jones will give Few solid minutes on defense at multiple positions. The big question is will this team be better than the Gonzaga team from two years ago?

Next: Geno Crandall commits to Gonzaga

While the answer to that question won’t come until we see them play, the outlook is great. The talent is there, the team runs deeper, and their versatility in the front court will allow them to matchup better against the top teams in the country.