Grant Gibbs

[Reborn]

From ESPN Evaluation:"September, 2007: A strong combination guard. He is very skilled and has a high basketball IQ. What he lacks in athleticism, he more than makes up for with his smarts on the floor. He has great knowledge of the game and can find the open teammate. He also makes the big shots. He is a winner.

This kid is going to Gonzaga and many people feel he is a perfect fit for Mark Few and the Zags. Gibbs is a combo guard from Iowa . He is a not an overly athletic kid but he is highly skilled player who knows how to play. Grant may be a little bit more of a point guard than a 2 guard. He has very good ballhandling and passing skills. He has excellent court vision, sees the floor and makes good decisions. In addition Gibbs is a knock down shooter. He can really stroke the ball from deep and make shots. Although Gibbs may have a little problem guarding the jet point guards in college he has the perfect resume for Few. He is skilled, can shoot, has a high basketball IQ and is a team oriented player. He is an excellent pick up for Gonzaga."

Because the focus has been on Arop and Kong this summer, and some on Vilarino, I think I began to forget about Gibbs, or just didn't think he has a chance of playing much at Gonzaga now. I know two years ago I was pretty excited about Grant. I liked this write up by ESPN back than and I am glad I refreshed my mind with it today. I like the fact that they describe him as a winner, and that he has high basketball IQ. I also like the fact that he can shoot, and knock down the big shots. I think I guy like Grant we be a tough guy to knock out of the rotation, and he will certainly make it tough on anyone who is going up against him. I am thinking of the battle that will take place between Vilarino and Grant for playing time as the back up point guard. I don't think Few would go with 3 poiont guards.

[zag buddy]

I saw him scrimmage this summer and he reminded me a lot of Matt. They appeared nearly interchangable in the 2 position. Both were in top shape and after an hour were nearly as fresh as at the beginning of the game.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Been saying that for awhile... I think he got lost in the mix for many with the early injury last year and the huge class coming in this year.

[bigblahla]

Young Mr. Gibbs will earn his PT and we'll all be glad he did. Sleeper? Maybe to us but not to coach and staff. Gritty, yeoman type player sounds like a Zag to me. He'll play.

Just my opinion.

Go!! Zags!!!

[dim4sum]

Must be competitive

The thing I like about this team is that there are no "give me's" about playing time. There will be a lot of internal competition behind the scenes. And Few will have a tough time making that competition turn into togetherness instead of dissension. As far as Gibbs goes, I see him getting a lot less playing time than originally anticipated. Max five minutes a game. Maybe 8 minutes in a Zag blowout that's nailed down at halftime. But in the same scenario, I think Steven Gray's playing time could be compromised, too. Without Manny, Steven gets 32 minutes a game. With him, 25-27 minutes. That's my mid-summer take on things.

[ZagNative]

A thread on guboards before Grant's injury at Linn-Mar has a number of links to videos showing Grant's game pre-injury.

I sure hope his luck has turned around and he is able to have a ton of fun this year and that the next time he's on the court for post-game celebrations it will be in a Zag uniform instead of a vest and tie, as here piling on Meech after the WKU win.



FWIW, I think it's unfair to Grant at this point to speculate much about playing time. There are just too many unknowns. I'd really like to see him get his shot without a whole lot of typecasting based on extremely flimsy evidence.

[cjm720]

ZN - it's all fun and games. To me it's no different than speculating about getting a recruit. Go Grant go!

[MDABE80]

He might be the toughest kid we've got although I haven't seen some of the others just yet. When I saw Grant in one of the camps, he looked pretty intense on the court. Took some huge bumps and gave them as well. He looked bigger than expected and was tough on the boards. Didn't flinch and played very well. We'll like him...not doubt. He's got those hardnosed "Zag" qualities.

[Reborn]

[QUOTE=ZagNative: FWIW, I think it's unfair to Grant at this point to speculate much about playing time. There are just too many unknowns. I'd really like to see him get his shot without a whole lot of typecasting based on extremely flimsy evidence.[/QUOTE]

I am absolutely positive that Grant will get his shot for playing time on the court, and plenty of it. And I am equally as positive that the outcome will NOT BE determined by what is written here on GUBoard. I think he has a great shot at playing this year if he is healthy. I think he is a young man who had Zag Material written all over him when Mark Few recruited him. Few liked him a bunch, I think. He's the kind of combo guard that Few builds his system on. The one question mark hanging over him, I think, is that he has not played for two years. I do not know how that affects a player honestly. Maybe some of you have had experience with missing that much basketball, or have coached or known players who have come back after that much of an absence?

[bballbeachbum]

I am absolutely positive that Grant will get his shot for playing time on the court, and plenty of it. And I am equally as positive that the outcome will NOT BE determined by what is written here on GUBoard. I think he has a great shot at playing this year if he is healthy. I think he is a young man who had Zag Material written all over him when Mark Few recruited him. Few liked him a bunch, I think. He's the kind of combo guard that Few builds his system on. The one question mark hanging over him, I think, is that he has not played for two years. I do not know how that affects a player honestly. Maybe some of you have had experience with missing that much basketball, or have coached or known players who have come back after that much of an absence?

well, let's say it's not like riding a bicycle, but clearly it can be done and is done by many, sometimes repeatedly. there's the physical part of it; has it healed? then the mental part of believing the injury is healed, a big deal all by itself. and then along with that, the process of rebuilding confidence in your game through practice/gametime, etc; believing once again you can deliver like before, and restoring the ability to express your heart in those moments when it's needed...and doggone it breaking through and doing it.

my hope is he doesn't get hurt because he goes too hard, until he breaks...sometimes you just can't make the play, and that's ok, just make the next one. but don't break yourself

but mixing it up and still being able to play tomorrow is part of it, isn't it. for him, hope he gets that opportunity so he can make his claim to being a part of it on the floor for the 2009-10 Zags

GO TEAM ZAGS!!!

[JoeZag]

Not too sure about his PT this year

I saw Grant a few times this summer while at GU camps and while he is prototypical of past Zags (tough-minded, good shooter, nice court vision) he is also prototypical of past Zags (not very athletic, slow-footed on D). I don't see him playing the point with Matty, Meech and now GJ sure to get all of the time. He will have to play the two or maybe three where he will vie with Steven, Manny and Bol. I hope that he gets a chance to prove himself, but he seems to be one of those kids that might end up getting squeezed out of his PT by superior athletes (like Doudney and to a lesser extent Pendo). As they say, time waits for no man and the injuries may have cost him the chance to be a great Zag. I certainly hope not as I view him as a slightly more athletic (not hard to do) version of Blake Stepp. Best of luck to Grant!

[Kiddwell]

If Grant Gibbs proves to be Blake Stepp II, he'll be a great one for us. Here's hoping so...!

:]

[jake]

I certainly hope not as I view him as a slightly more athletic (not hard to do) version of Blake Stepp. Best of luck to Grant!

Just my opinion, but I think you're underestimating the athleticism of Stepp, particularly before his knee issues. He never had jump out of the gym type athleticism, but I'd describe him as somewhat athletic. We may just be describing the same thing differently. Stepp was a great shooter, and in my opinion, the best passer Gonzaga has had in quite a while. If Gibbs is even close to Stepp he will play plenty. This is not a knock on Gibbs, but I'm not expecting anything close to Blake Stepp from him.

[MDABE80]

True Jake. BUT most of us saw Blake hampered by his injury and then hampered by those multiple knee surgeries. He never was much of a leaper nor quick because of those injuries/surgeries. Maybe in HS before he came here but the huge majority of time at GU he just didn't have good speed, leaping ability, etc. Good kid, good scorer and good passer. ....one of our classic kids we'll never forget. Him slower was better than most PG/SG. I'd take him again. Blake just had bad luck and not so good surgery or who knows how far he might have gone.....knowing what I know, his surgical result angered me.

[jake]

Abe, you are right on. I was probably giving Blake credit for athleticism when the skills I was thinking of were more related to his general basketball skills. I do think he was more athletic before the injuries, but most of the time at GU that wasn't the case. I wasn't sure how to read the post I referenced, when I read "a more athletic version of Blake Stepp", to me that reads like an upgraded verson of Blake Stepp, which may not have been what was intended.