Photo by Erik Smith/Myk Crawford
Alex Toohey commits to Gonzaga men's basketball; Australian prospect will enroll at GU in summer 2023
Alex Toohey, one of the top international basketball prospects in the 2023 class, has committed to the Gonzaga Bulldogs according to ESPN. The 18-year-old Australian, while currently unranked, projects to be a four-star recruit upon committing to GU.
"Gonzaga stood out with their history of winning and making international players better," Toohey said to ESPN. "Being able to learn from a great coach in Mark Few will be special."
Toohey picked GU over Villanova, Michigan and Davidson after visiting Spokane for a weekend in late October. Duke, Florida and Illinois were also in the mix, but he felt that the possibility of winning a national championship as a Zag was too appealing to pass on.
Toohey will enroll at Gonzaga next summer following a few showcases across the U.S. He’ll compete in the Tarkanian Classic next month, as well as the NBA Academy G League Winter Showcase. There’s also the possibility he’ll be invited to the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland in April.
The 6-foot-8 forward has plenty of experience on the international stage since he made his debut on the FIBA senior national team in 2021. Last summer, he scored 12 points in just 17 minutes of action in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. After polishing his game at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, he was asked to rejoin the Australian team for another FIBA qualifier this week.
Toohey’s skillset and feel for the game, combined with his size, is head-and-shoulders above other 18-year-olds. He showcased his ability to handle the ball and control the tempo of a game while competing against players three years older than him last April, as he led the Australian U20 State Championship tournament in assists (6.3 per game) and was an exceptional rebounder (8.6 per game). He also put up 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23 minutes per game against professionals in one of Australia’s most competitive NBL divisions.
Scouts took note of his game at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta this last July when he led the way in scoring while shooting 60% from the field. Toohey flashed his all-around game with the second-most steals and fifth-most rebounds.
