From Julian Strawther to Chet Holmgren, top storylines for Gonzaga players in the NBA
From rookie debuts to seasoned veterans, here are the top storylines surrounding former Gonzaga men's basketball players heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.
With six first-round picks since 2019, there are a total of 11 former Bulldogs spread throughout the league.
WILL CHET HOLMGREN STEAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS?
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Oklahoma City's prized 7-foot-1 center looked anything but rusty throughout the NBA Summer League and preseason. After missing all of last season with a foot injury, Holmgren makes his long-awaited debut as one of the most touted rookies in the association — but can he wrestle the Rookie of the Year award away from heavy favorite Victor Wembanyama?
San Antonio's 7-foot-4 Wembanyama was impressive in the preseason, though Holmgren's play shouldn't be overshadowed. The former Gonzaga star averaged 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks and was more efficient than Wembanyama, going 6-for-12 from deep. Holmgren looked comfortable finding his own shot in the Thunder's system, as he shot 57.9% from the floor.
Still, Wembanyama will enter the season as the ROY frontrunner simply for his uncanny ability to impact the game. He led all rookies in the preseason with 19.3 points and 2.8 blocks per game, not to mention the highlight plays on both ends of the floor. He and Holmgren gave basketball fans a glimpse at a budding rivalry in the preseason when the Thunder came out victorious behind 21 points and nine rebounds from Holmgren.
The battle between the young 7-footers should be must-watch basketball throughout the season.
HOW WILL JULIAN STRAWTHER CAPITALIZE FROM THE PRESEASON?
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One of the more surprising rookies throughout the NBA preseason, Strawther was a staple on offense for the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 17.8 points and led all first-year players in 3-pointers made per game (3.5). He was efficient far beyond his years, as he went 14-for-31 from deep (45.2%) and committed just two turnovers in his 93 minutes of playing time. No one expects those numbers to translate to regular season success, but it's possible Strawther will carve out a meaningful role off the bench and contribute to more winning basketball in Denver as a rookie.
Without much scoring on the second unit, the Nuggets' coaching staff centered the offense around Strawther in the preseason. Bruce Brown, Thomas Bryant, Jeff Green and Ish Smith all left in free agency, kick-starting a total youth movement in Denver. Along with Strawther, Christian Braun (22), Hunter Tyson (23), Zeke Nnaji (22) and Collin Gillespie will look to make an impact off the bench with veterans Vlatko Cancar, Justin Holiday and DeAndre Jordan.
It's not quite the same depth Denver boasted on its way to winning the franchise's first NBA title, which is more reason to suspect Strawther will receive a lot of looks in his rookie campaign.
CAN COREY KISPERT REPLICATE STRONG FINISH TO LAST SEASON?
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Kispert took a major step forward in his second season as a pro with the Washington Wizards, as the 24-year-old capped off the 2022-23 campaign with a lot of momentum on a franchise that's entering a rebuilding phase.
The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter upped his 3-point shooting from 35% as a rookie to 42.4% last season, which was the 10th-best mark in the league. Many of those looks came on catch-and-shoot opportunities. According to the NBA's player tracking system, 352 of his 384 attempts came without a single dribble and he converted 42.6% of those attempts. He's become quite efficient in his role as a 3-point marksman with a true shooting percentage of 65.7% — up from 58.6% as a rookie.
Much of Kispert's growth was evident down the stretch of last season. Over the final 15 games, he averaged 15.6 points on 53.4/44.5/82.8 shooting splits with four 20-point performances. The Wizards went 6-9 over that span and weren't competing for a playoff spot with Bradley Beal out of the lineup, though rather than chalk it up as garbage time stats, the latter portion of the 2022-23 season could've foreshadowed what's to come from Kispert.
The Wizards have gone full rebuild mode after they dealt Beal to the Phoenix Suns and Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics over the offseason. For as much as those two helped create open looks for Kispert, they also took a lot of shots. Jordan Poole, who was acquired from Golden State, will likely be the focal point of the offense along with Kyle Kuzma. But the rest of the cast shouldn't take opportunities away from Kispert.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR DOMANTAS SABONIS AND THE SACRAMENTO KINGS?
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The Sacramento Kings enjoyed a historic campaign last season that saw an end to the franchise's 16-year playoff drought courtesy of one of the most prolific offenses in NBA history, fueled by an All-NBA caliber season from its 6-foot-11 bruiser.
Sabonis, who finished sixth in MVP voting, averaged 19.1 points and a league-high 12.3 rebounds. Also posting a career-best 7.3 assists per game, he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only player to average 19-plus points, 12-plus rebounds and 7-plus assists on 60% or better shooting from the field in a single season. Under head coach Mike Brown, Sabonis has flourished into the gold standard of NBA bigs through his ability to dissect defenses with dribble-handoffs, backdoor passes and powerful post-ups on the low block.
Still, it wasn't enough in the playoffs. The Golden State Warriors countered the Kings with small-ball lineups, while Sabonis struggled with foul trouble and turnovers throughout the six-game series. A right thumb injury suffered in December on top of a sternum contusion in Game 2 against the Warriors didn't make it easier on the Lithuanian, but after successful surgery and an offseason to rest, he should be back to his All-NBA form.
CAN JALEN SUGGS SOLIDIFY HIS ROLE WITH THE ORLANDO MAGIC?
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Before an ankle injury last November, Suggs was trending toward being the answer to the Orlando Magic's point guard situation. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.5 assists through 13 games played, and while he wasn't efficient, he showcased growth as a 3-point shooter. But his role decreased upon his return, as the Magic leaned on Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris in the starting lineup. Staying healthy hasn't come easy for Suggs, who's missed 63 games in his first two seasons as a pro.
The Magic have a lot of backcourt depth, with six guards currently on its roster. Five of those players were former first-round picks. The team has invested heavily in the position, and for Suggs, the fifth overall pick in 2021, his third year will be telling of his future with the franchise.
When healthy, Suggs has been a defensive anchor in Orlando. He was one of 14 players last season who recorded at least 1.3 steals and .5 blocks per game. Coach Jamahl Mosley called Suggs "probably one of the most unique defenders" he's been around and he said he has a "special gift."
