Gonzaga Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Bulldogs

Project Starters

Guard – Ryan Nembhard

The identity of Gonzaga’s offense is one of ball movement and pro-style pick-and-roll action that prioritizes high percentage looks at the basket. To do so, you need a point guard who can dictate pace and confidently penetrate opposing defenses. That was absent in a large way last season, largely due to the Bulldogs’ inability to counter opponent hedges and ball pressure when they looked to feed Timme. In comes junior Ryan Nembhard, who led the charge for the Creighton Blue Jays the last two seasons.

Ryan Nembhard follows the path of his brother Andrew Nembhard, now on the Indiana Pacers. Ryan has a similar tenacity as his brother, thanks to the tutelage of his father, Claude, who remains a staple of the Ontario basketball community. The youngest Nembhard is similar in his ability to look to create for others and run the show while stepping into scoring opportunities. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.6 in his time at Creighton and was able to cut his turnovers from 3.1 to 2.1 with similar usage. Where he differs from his brother is in his higher speed and, subsequently, smaller size. He should also benefit from Gonzaga’s high-tempo style. Gonzaga ranked 39th in adjusted tempo, according to Kenpom, and Creighton came in at 143rd.

Guard – Nolan Hickman

Nolan Hickman had massive shoes to fill, stepping into the starting point guard role last year for Andrew Nembhard. He spent most of his freshman year playing off-ball and was tasked with steering the ship of the top-ranked offense in the country. He fell into rough patches throughout the year, having a higher turnover rate than his assist rate. During the month of March, confidence waned enough that Few opted to leave him on the bench for spells of games. Fans were vocal about the Washington native, and speculation on his status for next year grew as other names entered the portal. But Hickman remained.

That decision could pay dividends both for him and for Gonzaga. Having Ryan Nembhard step in to run the offense allows Hickman to focus on scoring, something he’s shown glimpses of proficiency at throughout his two years on campus. As ugly as things got last season, he was the third-leading three-point maker on the team. For games, you can find him going o-fer; there are games like the WCC Championship matchup against Saint Mary’s where he fueled the boat-racing by making 4-5 three-pointers.

Hickman’s mechanics are solid, and another offseason of fine-tuning them could finally allow for him to break through as a weapon for this team. Due to his duties on-ball, just 60% of Hickman’s made threes were assisted, something that will no doubt change with his new role.

Guard – Steele Venters

With the losses of Rasir Bolton and Malachi Smith, questions about perimeter scoring began bubbling up for an offense predicated on spacing. In comes sharpshooting Steele Venters, who just needed to take a quick car ride from Cheney to join the Zags. Venters is an intriguing piece to help provide room for Gonzaga’s bigs to operate.

Over 50% of Venters’ shots last season came from behind the arc, and he made 37% of them. That number is noteworthy because it was a dip from his previous season, where he shot 40% on more attempts. Venters is a catch-and-shoot specialist, with 87% of his makes coming off of a pass, which perfectly aligns with the Bulldogs’ style.

Questions on Venters’ transition to a higher level of play come in when trying to forecast his impact on the team early in the season and in March. His 6-foot-7 frame offers interesting size, but there are glaring questions for the former walk-on regarding his ability to defend the perimeter and high major wings that he’ll be matched up against. While Venters is seen as a stand-and-shoot marksman, he’s shown an ability to hit jumpers, making 52% on over 100 attempts last season. He shot 51% from inside the arc against top 100 KenPom teams.

Forward – Anton Watson

Perhaps the most undersung aspect of last season’s turnaround for the Zags was the strides Anton Watson made in his game. After three seasons, averaging less than 20 minutes per contest and taking less than five shots per game, Watson took the fourth most shots on the team and finished as the third-highest scorer. He added range to his shooting, albeit at a small clip, to keep opposing defenses honest, going from 5 for 22 his sophomore season to 16 for 48.

But the Spokane native’s largest impact comes from his unique switchability on defense. Watson was asked to guard the best scorer in crunch time and consistently won those battles. He had the second-highest steal rate in the WCC and a 99.5 defensive rating. More importantly, he could stay on the court and avoid foul trouble while increasing his playing time per game by more than 10 minutes.

Watson should benefit from the absence of Timme as the new identity and leader of the team. He’ll be asked to carry the frontcourt as a primary option, especially with the cautious approach the staff will have with Graham Ike. If Watson can continue his efficiency (37th highest offensive rating in college basketball last season), we could have a special final ride in store.

Forward – Graham Ike

Graham Ike’s 2023-2024 campaign might be the biggest boom or bust in college basketball. After rehabbing an entire season from a foot injury, the 6-foot-9 forward looks to get a fresh start in Gonzaga’s high-scoring offense. He has the historical evidence to show he’ll provide much-needed offense, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Wyoming Cowboys in his sophomore season.

Ike had an even higher usage than Timme did in his last season, which may make fans expect a plug-and-play approach to the big man, but their games are actually considerably further apart. Most of Ike’s shots came as jumpers or marginally further out than the dunker’s circle, something Timme was seemingly magnetized to over his career. He also isn’t the passer that Timme proved to be over his senior campaign, something to see if there are developments in throughout the year.

It remains to be seen how much of a system fit Ike is in his shot profile or perhaps even how Gonzaga’s system will help him get better looks. For the last four seasons, Gonzaga has operated with a top-50 tempo offense. Does a player coming off of foot rehab and already sidelined during the summer affect that approach? What Ike does offer is an improved level of post presence on the defensive side of the court and a workhorse rebounder that could at least help create more transition opportunities.