Gonzaga Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 29: A basketball sets on the court during a timeout in the second half between the Saint Mary's Gaels and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 29, 2020 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeats Saint Mary's 86-76. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 20: A basketball is set. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga basketball has been a powerhouse for the past several seasons and has yet another highly-touted recruiting class coming in for the future.

Gonzaga basketball has emerged as a true powerhouse in recent years with its ability to consistently compete for the national title and there is simply no other way to look at it. Even though the Bulldogs are yet to actually cut down the nets as national champions, they have reached at least the Sweet 16 in each of the last five seasons while truly blossoming into a perennial national power. The program has clearly experienced plenty of recent success but it feels as though Gonzaga is only starting to hit its stride.

That much is evidenced by the fact that the Bulldogs are already widely regarded to be one of the top preseason favorites for the 2021 national title. Even though Gonzaga is losing a few crucial pieces this offseason, the program is also bringing back the vast majority of its top contributors from the 2019-20 squad that would have received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (prior to its cancelation). This includes the likely returns of Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert, Filip Petrusev, and many more. To put it simply, the roster is flat-out loaded.

Additionally, head coach Mark Few has done an excellent job recruiting new talent to join the program. While landing Southern Illinois transfer Aaron Cook is certainly a nice addition for this coming season, the most notable newcomers are Gonzaga’s incoming freshmen. Known as the “Tricky Trio”, this recruiting class features three Top 75 prospects all ready to be major difference-makers in Spokane.

Five-star combo guard Jalen Suggs (No. 8 overall) is the headlining piece of this group but the likes of Julian Strawther (No. 59) and Dominick Harris (No. 61) should not be ignored as high-level additions to the program. Gonzaga appears to be ready to not only compete for the national title in the 2020-21 season but is also poised to continue rising into the future. Coach Few has started to truly make his presence known on the recruiting trail in recent years and this class proves that.

So, heading into this coming campaign, let’s take a dive into Gonzaga’s highly-touted 2020 recruiting class to see what each commit might bring to Spokane.