NCAA Basketball: 3 takeaways from No. 1 Gonzaga’s win over No. 2 UCLA

1. Andrew Nembhard inserting himself as the best point guard in the country

Coming into the season, it was a near-unanimous opinion that junior center Drew Timme was the best returning player in the country and best overall, depending on how you view his teammate Chet Holmgren and Duke freshman Paolo Banchero. However, one player and returning star that has flown under the radar was Andrew Nembhard.

The senior ball-handler shared lead guard duties with Jalen Suggs last season and was the 6th Man for the most part on that roster. This time around, he’s the undisputed point guard for the Bulldogs. Even five-star point guard Nolan Hickman primarily plays off the ball whenever he’s on the court with Nembhard.

The 6’5 playmaker has never been an elite scorer, with a career average under 10 ppg at both Gonzaga and Florida but has always been a quality floor general. So even when the stats don’t show it, Nembhard has always been one of the best players on the court, making the correct moves on offense and setting up others for success.

He’s not going to put up the biggest numbers on a nightly basis or have many individual highlights but few guards are as good on both sides of the court as Nembhard. And with a number of guards out there struggling early on, it’s time to put some respect on the senior guard, who himself is one of the best players in the country.