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Gonzaga Basketball: 5 takeaways from Bulldogs 2021-22 non-conference play

By Tuck Clarry

Nov 29, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs wave to the crowd after a game against the Tarleton State Texans at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 64-55. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs wave to the crowd after a game against the Tarleton State Texans at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 64-55. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chet Holmgren Gonzaga Basketball (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Chet Holmgren Gonzaga Basketball (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

Chet Holmgren is that dude

You hear about a unicorn, a future top-three pick, and a consensus number one recruit and it’s hard to really set reasonable expectations. When you’ve never landed a guy like Holmgren you may worry you’ll start taking things for granted. A seven-footer who can lead the fast break after snatching a routine block at the rim and the ability to drain threes in transition creates perhaps wholly unreasonable expectations. Yet, Chet Holmgren has been all of that and more.

Holmgren’s abilities sneak up on you when watching him play. He’s playing a bit out of position on offense because of the established excellence of preseason player of the year Drew Timme, and his usage rate has taken a hit because of it. His 22% usage rate is significantly lower than his top lottery counterparts Paolo Banchero (28%) and Jabari Smith (27%). But Holmgren has been absolutely dynamic as the second option for Gonzaga.

He is shooting 75.8% inside of the arc and has an effective field goal shooting of 67.5%, good for twenty-first best in the country. He’s forced to play high and on the perimeter at times to afford Timme the space he needs to operate. Because of the prevalence and ability of the guards, as well as Timme’s usage, we haven’t gotten to see a lot of Holmgren as the initiator. But what is on full display is his potential and ability on the defensive end.

The matchup against North Alabama, the last scheduled non-conference game, is not only the first game this season in which Holmgren did not record a block, it’s the first time this season he hadn’t recorded at least two. Watching Holmgren is what’s fun about being a college basketball fan. He’s constantly looking to impact the other team’s looks and does a great job of staying in rotation when being pulled from the basket.

A shortened season may hinder Holmgren’s climb to the top of the all-time Gonzaga blocks leaderboard, but it would be foolish to claim any former Zag as a better rim protector than him. His defense and adaptability make him clearly the best defender in the upcoming draft and we’ve all seen the impact a promising defender can have thanks to Evan Mobley.

Conference play will be a great opportunity for the coaching staff to find more ways to utilize a talent in Holmgren that they’ve never had before.