Julian Strawther excited about fit with Denver Nuggets: 'It's a blessing'
The vision of Denver Nuggets' general manager Calvin Booth was clear when he acquired the draft rights to Gonzaga's Julian Strawther at 29th overall.
Booth's mission for the 2023 NBA Draft was to bolster his championship-winning roster with young players ready to contribute.
That criteria brought Booth's attention to Strawther, whose length and 3-point marksmanship made him an attractive option. The 6-foot-7 wing shot 40.8% from deep on 5.3 attempts per game.
"Julian has a hair-trigger release, he can play the '2,' he might be able to play on the ball a little bit, he has enough size to play on the wing," Booth said during Monday's media conference in Denver with Strawther and the Nuggets' other two draft picks, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson.
Strawther sunk many of Gonzaga's most memorable shots last season, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with seven seconds left to defeat UCLA in the Sweet 16.
His most prolific shooting display came in a 40-point outing against Portland during the regular season. Strawther shot 8-for-12 from beyond the arc that night, leading the Zags to a double-digit win.
"Obviously, there's a ton of players that I enjoy watching and taking bits and pieces from their games, but seeing tall shooters, guys like Klay (Thompson), have success in the league, especially early on his career... Tall shooters all around the league are having great success right now," Strawther said.
However, Strawther knows it takes more than perimeter shooting to earn playing time in the NBA.
"What got [Klay] on the court was defending and so just being able to focus in on my ability on the defensive end and keep growing that," Strawther said.
While some have raised concerns over Strawther's inattentiveness on defense, his size and quickness are valuable tools to stay in front of opposing players. He's also an effective rebounder, averaging 6.2 per game last season.
As Strawther improves defensively, he will be surrounded by premier stoppers like Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Nuggets ranked 15th in defensive rating during the regular season, but improved to fourth in the playoffs.
After playing in the NCAA Tournament in all three seasons at Gonzaga, Strawther is excited to join another winning situation in Denver.
"Just the way they play basketball, they play the right way, play for each other," Strawther said. "In today's age of basketball, I feel like it's kind of getting lost playing for one another and playing to win. Being able to join an organization that's all about winning, all about each other, it's a blessing."
Strawther's excellence as an off-ball shooter and cutter will serve him well on the Nuggets, who are led two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the franchise's all-time assists leader.
"He's the best player in the league and every time you turn on the TV it's like magic's happening," Strawther said. "I feel like I never see him miss a shot, but at same time he's always playing the right way. I'm super excited to share the floor with him."
Strawther, who's set to wear No. 3 for the Nuggets, will make his preseason debut on July 7 when Denver faces the Milwaukee Bucks in the Las Vegas Summer League.
