Gonzaga Basketball: Why the 2021-22 Bulldogs will be even better than last season

Key newcomers for Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga has their best recruiting class in the history of the school. They were able to secure two of the top 10 players in the country and one of them is the No. 1 recruit in the 2021 class. The incoming players are the main reason that many feel Gonzaga is going to better this year than last season. The two incoming five stars are going to play a huge role for this team and are going to hopefully help the Bulldogs bring their first national championship back to Spokane.

Hunter Sallis became the highest recruit in Gonzaga history and he held that title for a total of about a week. The guard from Omaha, Nebraska is going to be a really good player for Gonzaga. Sallis is extremely athletic, can score from all parts of the floor, and has a very high ceiling. Once he gets into the program and is under the tutelage of Mark Few and the rest of the coaching staff. He is a hard-nosed player who has played a ton of high-level basketball against some of the top competition in High School.

Sallis is a McDonald’s All-American, has been a part of the Team USA experience, and played in just about every sponsored game that you can get in the High School. He is the most decorated athlete to come out of Nebraska and given the number of times that I have watched Hunter play, he is going to be an instant fan favorite in Spokane. Sallis is going to come right in and start and be expected to score and score a lot. He is going to average double figures and is likely a one-and-done.

After Hunter committed to Gonzaga,  the number one recruit in the class committed to Gonzaga, Chet Holmgren. Holmgren comes from Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. Holmgren played with former Gonzaga point guard and star Jalen Suggs. Holmgren is a big man who can stretch the floor and has handles and a shot like Steph Curry. He can protect the paint and finish around the rim. He is an elite offensive player and a great defensive player.

Many people will see the body style of Holmgren and think he may need to put on some weight to play at this level. Trust me, and the staff of the Bulldogs he played against the best competition in the High School ranks every game as Minnehaha was a highly ranked and highly successful program. He will be okay and will be a lottery pick.

These two players are expected to come right in and start and are likely only going to be in Spokane for a year, but in that year they are hoping to come in and be the pieces that Gonzaga finally needs to win the National Championship.

The Bulldogs have all the right pieces. They have the potential Player of the Year and two of the top freshman in the country. They also have one of the best rosters top to bottom in the entire country. This is likely finally going to be the year the Bulldogs win the national title.