Resilient Steele Venters set for big role at Gonzaga following two season-ending injuries

On April 7, 2023, the Gonzaga Bulldogs landed a commitment from Eastern Washington small forward Steele Venters out of the transfer portal. A week later, the team landed two more transfers in Ryan Nembhard and Graham Ike.

Nembhard set — and reset — Gonzaga's single-season assist record in two incredible seasons in Spokane, while Ike has established himself as one of the great scoring bigs in program history as he enters year three.

And Venters? He's still waiting to appear in an official game in a Zag uniform, after suffering a torn ACL two days before the 2023-24 season, and an Achilles injury the following offseason while recovering. But the 6'7 wing is fully healthy now and ready to take on what could be a very big role for Gonzaga this season with the uncertain status of transfer Tyon Grant-Foster, who is currently battling the NCAA for an eligibility waiver.

"The first one was awful, the second one was downright cruel," Gonzaga assistant coach Brian Michaelson said at WCC Media Day on Thursday. "But to see how he handled both. To see his resilience and his positive spirit and how much he gave to the team even when he wasn't able to play was really cool. And now, to see him fully healthy and to see him playing well is really an incredible story that speaks a lot to [his] perseverance."

Venters averaged 16 points and shot 40.2% from three across his final two seasons at Eastern Washington, winning Big Sky Player of the Year in 2022-23.

He looked every bit like that version of himself with Gonzaga at Kraziness in the Kennel back on Oct. 4, winning the team's three-point shootout and scoring nine points on 3-4 shooting from deep in the scrimmage game.

Gonzaga Bulldogs player Steele Venters (2). | Photo by Mercedes Smith

He also had nine points, along with three rebounds and two assists, in Gonzaga's exhibition win over Northwest University on Sunday, Oct. 19, while drawing the start for the Zags.

Venters seems likely to start for Gonzaga when the season opens up officially on Nov. 3 in Spokane against Texas Southern, even if Grant-Foster has his request for a preliminary injunction granted and is able to suit up for the Zags, since he won't have had much time to prepare for the season and learn the ins and outs of Gonzaga's system.

He'll bring experience and a deep understanding of the Zag offense and defense to the starting five, even though he has yet to play in a game.

And for a Gonzaga team that had its worst three-point shooting team in the Mark Few era, Venters being healthy is a welcome sight — for many reasons.

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