WCC Basketball: Top 10 impact transfers for 2021-22 season

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WCC Basketball Rasir Bolton Iowa State Cyclones (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images) /

2. Rasir Bolton, G, Gonzaga Bulldogs

15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists with Iowa State

There may be no bigger change in scenery for a Division I transfer this year than the one than the new digs for 21-year-old junior shooting guard Rasir Bolton, who leaves the Iowa State Cyclones as their leading scorer and primary ball-handler to join Mark Few’s backlogs of guards that all are vying for any minutes let alone major minutes.

Bolton could immediately produce similar high-value dribble-drive penetration that Gonzaga utilized from Jalen Suggs in his single season with the Bulldogs. His high free throw percentage could be something that Few leans on, and it’s hard to imagine a better tandem of guards that individually could cause headaches in the pick-and-roll than him and senior Andrew Nembhard.

Bolton will have his work cut out for him, as he competes for minutes with Nembhard, sophomore Dominick Harris, and freshmen Hunter Sallis and Nolan Hickman. It’s likely that most of Bolton’s minutes will be off the ball playing with Nembhard or potentially being a ball-handler for the second and third units when he sits (this also is dependent on Hickman’s development).

Gonzaga ranked seventh in KenPom’s ranking in adjusted tempo and the additional depth and Bolton could only boost that style further. While Bolton may not have an identical skillset to Suggs, he might be faster. If Few tinkers with his substitution flow Gonzaga could literally run teams out of the gym with Bolton spurring the way.

But there are also gains for Bolton’s game in joining up with his new teammates. His three-point shooting went down each year since his freshman campaign, cratering at 31.4 percent to end his 2020-2021 season. But the vaunted frontcourt of Drew Timme and freshman phenom Chet Holmgren will no doubt draw away defenders from Bolton and the other guards. This will also help retain his assist numbers and improve his assist to turnover as well, considering that he just hasn’t been around the caliber of scorers that he’ll be paired with this season.