Gonzaga Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Bulldogs

Starting Lineup

Four of Gonzaga’s five starting positions are already locked down, and more than likely Anton Watson will win the starting job at power forward.

Gonzaga’s depth will be crucial to this team’s success, and any of these five guys are capable of stepping up and leading the team in scoring on any given night – a huge part of what makes Mark Few and his staff so successful.

Here’s a look at each player expected to start next year:

Drew Timme – Center

Timme was a monster as Filip Petrusev’s backup in 2019-2020, averaging 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

Now, Timme is expected to be Gonzaga’s go-to on offense, and there’s little reason to doubt his ability to follow Petrusev’s example and become an All-American candidate in year two.

Timme is an efficient low-post scorer, demonstrating brute strength and agility under the basket, using a variety of low-post moves which helped lead to a 62.3% field goal percentage on two-point shots.

He has some work to do on the defensive end, but expect him to be among the more exciting big men in all of college basketball this season.

Anton Watson – Power Forward

Watson is perhaps Gonzaga’s ‘weakest’ starter, but the uber-athletic wing should add a very fun dimension to the Zags on both sides of the ball.

A shoulder injury limited Watson to just 15 games last season, where he averaged about 5 and 3 in 15 minutes of action. He also showed incredible instincts and length on the defensive side of the ball, and he is entirely capable of contending for a WCC Defensive Player of the Year Award before he moves on.

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.

Corey Kispert – Small Forward

Calling somebody a ‘glue guy’ can often have a negative connotation, as it implies they are more of a reserve/role player as opposed to a major part of the team’s plan.

Kispert falls into that category, a do-it-all forward who literally keeps the team together (glue guy) but who is far too skilled to be considered a role player.

Kispert averaged 13.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game last year while shooting a ridiculous 43.8% from beyond the arc and 81% from the charity stripe. His return is monumental for the Zags’ chances of making a run in the NCAA tournament, thanks in part to his senior leadership and experience, and his vital role as an excellent on-ball defensive player and outside shooter.

The NBA loves three-and-D guys, and Kispert has that role on lock once he goes to the next level – but for now, he’s focused on being the leader (and glue) of this team heading into 2020-2021.

Joel Ayayi – Shooting Guard

Ayayi’s performance last year was a pleasant surprise, as the versatile combo guard broke out in a major way: averaging 10.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game for the Zags.

He’ll be tasked once again with playing off the ball and knocking down big shots – while cementing himself as the best rebounding guard in Gonzaga history.

Ayayi has the potential to be an NBA player after this season, although he’ll need to knock down threes at a better clip and show some proficiency as a ball-handler for that to come true. If he does that, not only will he be in the NBA next year, he’ll likely have a championship ring to bring with him.

Jalen Suggs – Point Guard

The most notable member of the Tricky Trio, star guard Jalen Suggs is the highest-rated recruit to ever step into Spokane – a label he may not keep for long if he’s successful in recruiting his high school teammate, Chet Holmgren, to GU.

Suggs is a near-lock to be a one-and-done for the Zags, but his season in the kennel will be one to remember. He can do it all – shoot from the outside, get into the paint, score in transition, throw down highlight-reel dunks, and adequately defend – and there’s little reason to suspect he won’t be among the most exciting players in college basketball in 2020-2021.