Gonzaga Basketball: Analyzing Bulldogs 2020-21 projected rotation

Power Forwards

Gonzaga’s weakest position is at the four, but that’s in no way, shape, or form a diss on Anton Watson, a rising sophomore who showed flashes of brilliance his freshman season before a shoulder injury put him on the shelf after just 15 games played.

Watson averaged about five points and three boards in 15 or so minutes per game, showing elite athleticism around the rim and the potential to easily be the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, possibly more than once if he sticks around.

Watson did show some growing pains, mainly a terrible 11.1% three-point percentage and a 57.1% mark from the free throw line, but those numbers will almost certainly come up with a full, healthy 2020-21 campaign, and there’s plenty of optimism that the Spokane native will break out in a major, major way for the Zags this year.

Gonzaga’s biggest depth concern is at the four, as Watson is the only true power forward on the roster. However, Mark Few and the Zags believe in positionless basketball, and they have plenty of options to fill in when Watson is not on the court.

Any of the three small forwards, Kispert, Strawther, or Arlauskas, are capable of playing a small-ball four role, and with Kispert and Strawther both standing six-foot-seven, they won’t even look undersized against basically every team in the WCC not named BYU.

Additionally, the team could attempt a two-center lineup, shifting starting center Drew Timme to the four and allowing either Oumar Ballo or Pavel Zakharov to play the five.

Regardless, Zag fans should not concern themselves too much with the backup four spot, as they have plenty of guys capable of stepping into that role if need be – although a healthy season from Watson will go a long, long way toward getting this team to their national title aspirations.