Gonzaga Basketball: 2019 NBA Draft breakdown of each player
By Andy Patton
Josh Perkins, Point Guard
It used to be every year that Gonzaga had just one player who was a borderline NBA talent. Ten years ago, the team saw combo guards like Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray, Derek Raivio and Jeremy Pargo all graduate and wait to hear their name called during the NBA draft, only to end up playing overseas.
It’s a testament to how far this school has come that the player who falls into that category this season is listed fourth among their NBA hopefuls.
Fifth-year senior Josh Perkins left quite an impact on Gonzaga. One of the winningest players in college basketball history, Perkins finished his storied career in Spokane ranked first in assists and fifth in three-pointers made.
He was a polarizing figure however, with many fans maligned by his inconsistency and occasional erratic, showboaty style of play (remember, Gonzaga fans had just gotten four years of Kevin Pangos, who was as collected and consistent as they come).
Still, Perkins has a great combination of size, basketball IQ and shooting ability to be an impactful professional basketball player, although it will take a lot for him to carve out a role in the NBA.
Next. Ranking the last 10 No. 1 overall recruiting prospects. dark
Looking at the lineage of great Gonzaga point guards, few of them left a mark in the NBA. Pangos, Nigel Williams-Goss, Raivio, Pargo, Blake Stepp and Matt Santangelo were all outstanding college point guards who spent most – if not all – of their professional careers not in the NBA.
Perkins will get a shot in the summer league, but more than likely he will either end up in the G-League or overseas – depending on what he prefers.