Look: Andrew Nembhard in attendance for Gonzaga-Pacific game
The Gonzaga Bulldogs welcomed back one of the program's standout floor generals Saturday when Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard pulled up to the McCarthey Athletic Center to watch his alma mater take on Pacific.
Nembhard, an All-WCC guard during his two seasons in Spokane, is the older brother of current Bulldogs guard Ryan Nembhard. The younger Nembhard admitted how important Andrew's time at Gonzaga influenced Ryan's decision to transfer from Creighton in the offseason.
"Of course my brother had been telling me for years what a great coach Mark [Few] was," Ryan Nembhard said to ESPN in April. "And it's obvious Andrew was well prepared for the NBA by Coach Few and all the staff at Gonzaga the two years he was there; he started more games this year as a rookie than any other Pacers rookie has started in over 20 years."
Andrew reached the unofficial halfway point in his second NBA season with the Pacers, averaging 9.0 points and 4.6 assists in 22.9 minutes. The 6-foot-5 Canadian has started 21 of 42 games he's played, including his last six heading into the NBA All-Star break.
Andrew was picked 31st overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and became the richest second-round pick in league history after signing a four-year, $8.6 million contract. He started 63 games as a rookie and averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 assists in 27.6 minutes.
In his two seasons at Gonzaga, Andrew averaged 10.5 points. 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 64 games. He helped guide the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season and a national championship game appearance in the 2020-21 season, followed by a trip to the Sweet 16 the following year alongside Chet Holmgren.
