Dan Dickau ‘would not be surprised’ if another Gonzaga player tested the NBA Draft

Dickau doesn’t foresee a Gonzaga player getting drafted in 2024 but believes there are players on the roster that 'have potential' to be in the NBA at some point

It’s to be expected that Gonzaga, a program known for producing high-level NBA players in recent years, will see a handful of its players test the NBA Draft waters just about every offseason. 

Some former Bulldogs, like Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren, knew they were ready for the next level from the moment they stepped foot onto campus. Others like Julian Strawther, Corey Kispert and Rui Hachimura took time to develop before it was their time to move on. 

More recently in the case of Drew Timme in 2022, entering his name into the NBA Draft provided him an opportunity to hear feedback from scouts and general managers on what they believed his path to the pros entailed before returning to college. That next season, Timme was an All-American and showcased enough of his skillset to earn an NBA G-League contract last summer. 

Timme’s route is becoming more and more common since college players can declare for the draft while maintaining their eligibility for the following season. Players who are valued to go in the second round can receive professional advice and go back to school with the potential of boosting their draft stock if they improve their game based on what they heard at the combine and pre-draft workouts. No penalty with a lot of reward at stake.

Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi has declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, but former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau believes more Zags could enter their names into the player pool before the early-entry window closes on April 27. 

Dickau discussed who might declare for the 2024 NBA Draft, Zags in the 2024 NBA Playoffs and much more on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

Watch the full episode on Gonzaga Nation's YouTube channel.

Produced by Christian Pedersen.