Newcomers to Gonzaga Basketball
Jalen Suggs – PG
Gonzaga has had a great tradition of point guards, including Derek Raivio, Kevin Pangos and Josh Perkins. But none of them has had the combination of elite passing and athleticism as Suggs, whose football skills as a quarterback translates nicely on the basketball court. On offense, he makes passes with absurd confidence and on defense, acts like a safety ready to take a steal/interception to the house.
Jalen Suggs explodes out of the hesitation, squeezes between defenders, and dumps off for the foul pic.twitter.com/o4hlROBSaj
— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) January 7, 2020
Dominick Harris – CG (No. 62 per 247sportsComposite)
The mastermind of the “tricky trio” group of newcomers, Harris has been committed to the Bulldogs for years and has become the best recruiter to the program outside of coaching assistant Tommy Lloyd. But he’s just as great on the court, most notably scoring 30 points for his high school team Rancho Christian also beating Sierra Canyon. The 6’4 guard is an elite shooter who can handle the ball as well. Might not be “one and done” but is the type of player who can have a great career at Gonzaga.
Julian Strawther – SF (No. 64 per 247sportsComposite)
Versatility is the name of the game for the 6’7 combo forward, capable of playing and defending both the small and power forward positions at the next level. Scouts don’t have Strawther as exceptional in any area but is above average in every basketball category. So while he might not end up as a Player of the Year candidate, the floor is very high and worst-case scenario, Strawther will be a four-year rotational player for the Bulldogs. Of course, the same once was said about former GU player Steven Gray, who has a similar skill set.
Oumar Ballo – C (No. 78 per 247sportsComposite)
Although not officially part of the 2020 class, Ballo will be able to play next season after sitting out this year due to academic reasons from the NCAA. But sitting out may have been the best thing going forward for the raw center. An impressive athlete, Ballo is a 6’10 big man who’ll be a defensive and rebounding terror going forward. He can slide right in for Tillie and become an anchor down low. And if the history of Gonzaga’s redshirt program continues with Ballo, he’ll be an impact freshman without question.