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Gonzaga Basketball: Early look at Bulldogs 2020-21 roster with Jalen Suggs

By Tristan Freeman

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 04: Jalen Suggs #1 of Minnehaha Academy Red Hawks looks on after the game against the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers at Target Center on January 04, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 04: Jalen Suggs #1 of Minnehaha Academy Red Hawks looks on after the game against the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers at Target Center on January 04, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 08: Gonzaga Bulldogs players (Photo by Mike Tedesco/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 08: Gonzaga Bulldogs players (Photo by Mike Tedesco/Getty Images) /

What’s next for Gonzaga on the recruiting trail?

The five-star floodgate could be opening for the Bulldogs thanks to Suggs’ commitment. His teammate and close friend Chet Holmgren (No. 4 overall per 247sportsComposite) is a strong target for the Bulldogs and has already taken an official visit to Spokane. So has another five-star frontcourt player in Paolo Banchero (No. 3 overall), who Suggs also mentioned helping recruit to Gonzaga. The Seattle native is favored to pick Washington but Gonzaga is certainly in the picture.

The Bulldogs already have four-star center Kaden Perry committed in the 2021 class and the odds of landing one of the two big men is a decent shot, especially if Suggs doesn’t go overseas this Summer. With the possibility of losing both Suggs and after next year as well, look for the Bulldogs to land another guard for that class. By the way, this is all being mentioned without the program landing a high-profile transfer at some point, a key part of why the team is good.

Where will Gonzaga be ranked in the preseason next year?

This season, the Bulldogs were picked at No. 8, despite there being plenty of questions. The year prior, it was a program-best No. 3 preseason ranking. If Suggs does come to Spokane and no one leaves unexpectedly, there’s no reason why this team won’t have the No. 2 ranking for the 2020-21 season.

No. 1 will be claimed by the Duke Blue Devils. They have six commits in the 2020 class, including the usual group of five-stars. And as long as just Vernon Carey and Tre Jones are the only ones leaving (even Matthew Hurt as well), they’ll have too much depth and talent on paper not to get the top spot. As of now, I’d give Gonzaga the edge over Kentucky for No. 2, unless the Wildcats land five-star forward Greg Brown. Of course, a massive grad transfer of five-star pickup for another power conference team could have them jump the Bulldogs as well.

Next. Top impact transfers so far this season. dark

But the preseason poll doesn’t really matter. What matters is that Gonzaga Basketball has taken another step as a program with the historical national pickup of Jalen Suggs and has become one of the few programs now annually a Final Four/national title contender. If the other WCC programs have struggled to keep up with the Bulldogs before, I just don’t see how they can truly challenge this mid-major national juggernaut now.