Gonzaga Basketball Recruits: Who to Watch For

Get familiar with some of Gonzaga basketball’s top recruits for the 2020 season. These are the names you should know and watch for as the season progresses.

Gonzaga’s top recruits

Gonzaga has had a lot of success in recent years and much of that is due to the level of talent they have been able to bring in. Here are some of the top recruits that they have coming in for the 2020 season:

5-star guard Jalen Suggs is the highest rated recruit that Gonzaga has ever received. He is one of the top ranked players in his class and has a huge upside. He is an elite level athlete with great size and length.

4-star forward Hunter Dickinson is another top recruit for Gonzaga. He is a big body who can play inside and out. He has Good footwork and touch around the basket.

4-star guard Julian Strawther is another talented player coming in for Gonzaga. He is a very good shooter with deep range. He also has good size and strength for his position.

3-star center Filip Petrusev is another big body who can clog up the paint. He is a traditional back to the basket type of center who should be able to make an immediate impact on the defensive end of the floor.

Gonzaga’s recruiting class of 2020

Gonzaga’s Recruiting Class of 2020 currently consists of two five-star commits, as well as several four-star recruits. The class is headlined by five-star center Oumar Ballo, who is ranked as the No. 18 player in the nation by ESPN Ballo is a 6-foot-10 center from Mali who has only been playing organized basketball for a few years, but has shown tremendous potential. He will join five-star point guard Jalen Suggs in what should be one of the best frontcourts in the country.

In the backcourt, Gonzaga’s recruiting class features several talented four-star recruits. PG Ethan Thompson is ranked as the No. 55 player in the nation by ESPN, and he should compete for a starting spot immediately. SG Jonas Van Ark is a 6-foot-7 wing from the Netherlands who is a gifted scorer, and he should also see significant playing time as a freshman. Lastly, PG Jaden Shackelford rounds out the class; he’s a 6-foot-3 guard from Alabama who is a gifted shooter and should provide valuable depth at the position.

Gonzaga’s recruiting class of 2021

Gonzaga’s recruiting class of 2021 is one of the most talented and deepest in recent memory. The class is headlined by five-star point guard Khyri Thomas, who is considered one of the best pure shooters in the country. Thomas is joined by a trio of four-Star Prospects in small forward Corey Kispert shooting guard Brock Ravet, and Power Forward Jacob Larsen.

The class also features a pair of three-star recruits in point guard Joel Ayayi and center Ozzie Codrington. Ayayi is a native of France who has been on Gonzaga’s radar for several years, while Codrington is a big body who should provide some much-needed depth in the frontcourt.

All seven recruits will have a chance to make an immediate impact on Gonzaga’s program, and fans should be excited to watch them develop into stars over the next few years.

Gonzaga’s top transfer targets

As the offseason continues and Gonzaga looks to add pieces for next season, here are the top transfer targets for the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga has been one of the most successful programs in college basketball over the last few years, and they continue to recruit at a high level. The Bulldogs have already landed a few commitments for next season, but they are still looking to add more talent.

Gonzaga’s top transfer targets:

1. Jordan Usher: Usher is a 6’6 wing who transferred from Southern Methodist University He is a former four-star recruit who averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season.

2. Kaden Archibald: Archibald is a 6’4 guard who transferred from Northwest Kansas Technical College He is a talented scorer who can also contribute on the defensive end of the floor.

3. Josh Hearlihy: Hearlihy is a 6’8 forward who transferred from Dartmouth College. He is a stretch four who can shoot the three-ball and provide some scoring punch off the bench.

Gonzaga’s top international recruits

Gonzaga is always looking for the next big international star, and these are some of the top recruits the team is targeting.

Dusan Ristic is a 7-footer from Serbia who is considered one of the top international prospects in his class. He has good footwork and touch around the basket, and he is continuing to develop his outside shot. Ristic has drawn comparisons to former Gonzaga greatgor, and he would be a huge get for the Bulldogs if they can land him.

Another Serbian big man on Gonzaga’s radar is Filip Petrusev. A 6-foot-11 center, Petrusev is a skilled low-post scorer who can also step out and hit threes. He is still raw defensively, but he has a lot of potential on that end of the floor as well. Petrusev would be a great complement to Ristic in Gonzaga’s frontcourt if both players end up signing with the Bulldogs.

Another name to watch is Andre Gonzahues from Angola. A 6-foot-9 forward, Gonzahues is an excellent athlete who can block shots and rebound at a high level. His offense is still a work in progress, but he has shown flashes of being a capable scorer inside and out. If Gonzahues can continue to develop his all-around game, he has a chance to be a very good player for Gonzaga down the road.

Gonzaga’s top walk-on recruits

Gonzaga’s long-standing tradition of success on the basketball court has led to the school’s nickname as “Gonzagaland”. The Bulldogs have made the NCAA tournament every year since 1999, and have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen six times in that span. The team’s success has attracted high-level recruits from all over the country, and this year is no different. Here are three Gonzaga recruits who will be looking to make an impact next season:

1. Matthew Lang – A 6’7″ forward from Vancouver, Canada, Lang is a versatile player who can shoot from long range and is also a good rebounder. He provides outside shooting and athleticism that will be valuable for the Bulldogs.

2. Luke Meikle – A 6’8″ forward from Spokane, Meikle is known for his physicality and toughness. He isn’t the most skilled player on Gonzaga’s roster, but his work ethic and motor make him a key player off the bench.

3. Zach Norvell – A 6’5″ guard from Chicago, Norvell is an excellent shooter with deep range. He also has good size for a guard, which will be valuable for Gonzaga’s backcourt next season.

Gonzaga’s recruiting class by position

Gonzaga currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for 2019, according to 247Sports. The Bulldogs have five commitments in their 2019 class, which is headlined by five-star forward Matthew Hurt

Hurt is joined in the class by four-star point guard Jalen Suggs, four-star small forward Anton Watson, four-star power forward Drew Timme and three-star shooting guard Brock Ravet.

Here’s a look at Gonzaga’s recruiting class by position:

Point guard:
Jalen Suggs is the only point guard in Gonzaga’s 2019 Recruiting Class Suggs is a five-star recruit and the No. 11 player in the nation, according to 247Sports. He’s also the No. 2 point guard and No. 2 player from Minnesota in the 2019 class.

Shooting guard:
Brock Ravet is the only shooting guard in Gonzaga’s 2019 Recruiting class Ravet is a three-star recruit and the No. 362 player in the nation, according to 247Sports. He’s also the No. 68 shooting guard and No. 10 player from Washington in the 2019 class.

Small forward:
Anton Watson is one of two small forwards in Gonzaga’s 2019 recruiting class. Watson is a four-star recruit and the No. 66 player in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings He’s also the No. 12 small forward and No. 2 player from Washington in his class. The other Small Forward in Gonzaga’s recruiting class is Matthew Hurt, who is discussed below.

Power forward:
Drew Timme is one of two power forwards in Gonzaga’s 2019 recruiting class. Timme is a four-star recruit and the No .66 player nationally, according to 247Sports Composite rankings . He’s also ranked as the No .11 power forward andNo .3 player out of Texas in his class . The other power forward joining Timme at Gonzaga next season will be Filip Petrusev , who is currently playing for Mega Bemax of Serbia

center:

Filip Petrusev is one of two centers that make up Gonzaga’s 2019 recruiting class (the other being Drew Timme). Petrusev, who originally hails from Montenegro, played last season for Mega Bemax of Serbia before enrolling at GU this past January . Since then , he has been averaging 16 points , eight rebounds and two assists per game while shooting nearly 60 percent from the field .

Gonzaga’s recruiting class by state

Gonzaga currently has two verbal commitments in the class of 2019: Jalen Suggs, a five-star point guard from Minnesota, and Drew Timme, a four-star power forward from Texas. The Bulldogs are also in the mix for several other high-profile recruits, including five-star small forward Kamaka Hepa of Alaska and five-star center N’Faly Dante of Mali.

Here’s a closer look at Gonzaga’s top recruiting targets in the class of 2019:

Jalen Suggs
Suggs is widely considered one of the best point guard prospects in the country. He’s a dynamic playmaker with good size (6-foot-4) and athleticism. Suggs is also a gifted scorer, averaging 28.5 points per game as a junior at Minneapolis’ Minnehaha Academy. He committed to Gonzaga in September.

Drew Timme
Timme is a skilled big man who can score inside and out. He’s listed at 6-foot-10, but he has the ability to play smaller than his size. Timme is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker, and he should be able to contribute right away for the Bulldogs. He committed to Gonzaga in August.

Kamaka Hepa
Hepa is one of the top wing prospects in the country. He’s long (6-foot-9) and athletic, with the ability to score inside and out. Hepa is also an excellent rebounder and defender. He has yet to make a college decision but is reportedly considering Gonzaga, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA and USC.

N’Faly Dante
Dante is one of the top center prospects in the class of 2019. He’s a physical big man with good size (6-foot-11) and athleticism. Dante is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker, with the ability to score inside and out. He has yet to make a college decision but has been linked to Gonzaga, Louisville, Indiana, Oregon and UCLA.

Gonzaga’s recruiting class by high school

Gonzaga’s recruiting class is ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN, and it includes some talented High School players. Here’s a look at some of the Bulldogs’ recruits by high school

-Rui Hachimura (Montverde Academy Florida): A 6-foot-8 power forward from Japan, Hachimura is rated as a five-star recruit by ESPN and is one of the top prospects in the class of 2017. He’s been compared to Kevin Durant and has the potential to be a star player in college and beyond.

-Corey Kispert (Kingsway Christian School, Washington): A 6-foot-7 small forward from Washington, Kispert is also a five-star recruit according to ESPN. He’s a versatile scorer who can shoot from long range, and he should be a key player for Gonzaga right away.

--Zach Collins (Bishop Gorman high school Nevada): A 7-foot center from Las Vegas Collins is one of the most highly touted prospects in the country. He’s a physical presence in the paint who can score, rebound and block shots. Collins is expected to make an immediate impact for Gonzaga next season.

Gonzaga’s recruiting class by AAU team

Gonzaga has had recent success in recruiting, and this has led to an increase in the talent level of their basketball team The team’s recruiting class for the 2019-2020 Season includes:

-Spencer Freedman, a 6’3″ point guard from Los Angeles who plays for the Southern California All-Stars. Freedman is ranked as the No. 53 player in the nation by ESPN.

-Jake Wetzel, a 6’7″ small forward from Vancouver, who plays for the BC Lions. Wetzel is ranked as the No. 84 player in the nation by ESPN.

-Luke Loewe, a 6’8″ power forward from San Diego who plays for the California Supreme. Loewe is ranked as the No. 95 player in the nation by ESPN.